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Customs meets May revenue target

Sri Lanka, May 28 -- The Sri Lanka Customs has achieved its revenue target for the month of May. The department stated that its revenue target for May was Rs. 187,801 million. However, within just t... Read More


Aswesuma allowance to be credited tomorrow

Sri Lanka, May 28 -- Under the first phase of the Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Scheme, the Welfare Benefits Board announced that Rs. 3,125.6 million will be credited to bank accounts tomorrow (29) as the ... Read More


Police warn drivers over fake messages on fines

Sri Lanka, May 28 -- Police said incidents have been reported of fraudulent SMS and WhatsApp messages being sent to drivers who commit traffic offences, attempting to illegally collect fines. The Pol... Read More


CSE recorded foreign outflow exceeding Rs. 3bn

Sri Lanka, May 28 -- A notable level of foreign selling was recorded in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) on May 26. This resulted in a massive net foreign outflow of Rs. 3.03 billion. The total mark... Read More


Health authorities urge dansal organisers to maintain hygiene

Sri Lanka, May 28 -- Considering the current health situation, dansal organisers should pay top attention to cleanliness and food quality when preparing cooked meals, said Community Medicine Specialis... Read More


Fitch warns Sri Lanka's tighter gold and car loan caps to slow growth, squeeze lenders' earnings Sri Lanka's tighter macroprudential restrictions on vehicle and gold-backed lending will benefit lenders' risk profiles, particularly those of finance companies, Fitch Ratings says. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka's lower loan-to-value (LTV) caps target two products that have expanded rapidly in recent years and represent a substantial share of mainly finance companies' balance sheets. The tighter caps may also weigh on volumes and earnings growth, particularly for lenders with high exposure to these products. The LTV cap on motor car financing was lowered on 25 May 2026 to 60% from 70% for vehicles registered for over one year, and to 40% from 60% for unregistered vehicles and those registered for less than one year. The central bank also introduced transitional treatment for letters of credit opened before the new direction where financing has not yet been obtained. LTV limits on gold-backed lending were also reduced to 70% from 80%, applying to both new loans and rolled-over facilities. We believe the tighter limit should help moderate risk build-up in gold-backed lending, which has expanded rapidly at banks and finance companies, supported by high collateral values, favourable capital treatment and low provisioning. Both products are exposed to collateral value risk. Local vehicle prices are sensitive to changes in import duties and tax policy, while gold prices can be volatile.

Sri Lanka, May 28 -- Sri Lanka's tighter macroprudential restrictions on vehicle and gold-backed lending will benefit lenders' risk profiles, particularly those of finance companies, Fitch Ratings say... Read More


Welikada Police OIC remanded

Sri Lanka, May 28 -- The Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Welikada Police, who was arrested by the Colombo Central Crime Investigation Bureau over allegations of demanding bribes has been remanded until... Read More


Cyber scam targets drivers with fake police traffic fine messages

Sri Lanka, May 28 -- The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team issued an urgent warning to the public regarding a sophisticated cyber scam that defrauds drivers of their money and personal infor... Read More


Joint Opposition demands disciplinary inquiry into CIABOC DG

Sri Lanka, May 28 -- An immediate disciplinary inquiry into the conduct of the Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) Ranga Dissanayake is nece... Read More


Fire at bookstore in Kurunegala

Sri Lanka, May 28 -- A fire has broken out at a bookstore in Kurunegala town. Police say four fire engines have been deployed to extinguish the blaze. Published by HT Digital Content Services with p... Read More