Wednesday, 21 September 2016

Sri Lanka vehicle registration see slight upturn in August

ECONOMYNEXT - Sri Lanka's vehicle registrations rose to 41,798 units in August from 35,775 in July, with motorcycles picking up to 29,365 units from 25,025 units, an analysis of vehicle registry data shows.

Total registrations were sharply down from 51,161 unit a year earlier.

JB Securities, an equities brokerage in Colombo said motor car registrations picked up 3,011 units from 2,596 units a month earlier, but was down from 9,107 units a year earlier.

Sri Lanka's vehicle registrations came down with a sharp increase in taxes and credit restrictions were slapped on motor cars, after vehicle imports were singled out for blame when a bout of money printing triggered a balance of payments crisis.

In country where Mercantilism has almost completely overshadowed economics, balance of payments trouble is routinely blamed on fuel imports. But this time with low prices, Mercantilists could not blame fuel imports for the currency collapse. Gold is a secondary target.

The rupee fell from 131 to 146 during the current balance of payments crisis, lowering the living standards permanently and pushing up domestic prices.

Analysts say car imports were a key 'escape valve' for money printed by the central bank in 2015, helping partly check domestic inflation and an asset price bubble, but the currency collapse pushed up all prices anyway.

Meanwhile JB Securities data showed mini truck registration have picked up to 1,448 units in August up from 1,148 reaching pre-crisis levels.

Three wheeler registrations rose to 4,355 units from 3,692 units in July, but remains sharply down from 9,107 units reached a year earlier.

Many three wheelers and motor cycles were bought by blue collar workers including tradesmen, raising living standards, but the new administration's policies have put vehicles further out of reach of the less affluent, critics say.

Tuesday, 20 September 2016

Sri Lankan shares fall for 4th straight session; VAT proposal weighs

Reuters: Sri Lankan shares fell for a fourth straight session on Tuesday, led by large caps, as selling pressure on stocks expected to take a hit from a proposed tax increase weighed on sentiment.

The benchmark Colombo stock index ended 0.32 percent weaker at 6,429.94, its lowest close since Aug. 1. It fell 0.34 percent last week, its fourth straight weekly loss.

A government proposal last week to raise the value added tax (VAT) to 15 percent from 11 percent hit sentiment on Tuesday.

"The downtrend continued today also. The selling pressure is there mainly on the shares that could be affected by the tax," said Dimantha Mathew, head of research at First Capital Equities (Pvt) Ltd.

"Going forward, we don't think this trend of correction will last long."

Turnover stood at 458.6 million rupees ($3.15 million), less than this year's daily average of 740.4 million rupees.

Foreign investors net bought 145.4 million rupees worth of equities on Tuesday. They have net sold 2.1 billion rupees worth of shares so far this year.

Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka fell 1.67 percent, with foreign investors buying a net 132,693 shares in the company on Tuesday.

The company said last month that it would rejig a share ownership with Melstacorp, its 100 percent-owned subsidiary.

The reorganisation will occur after Sept. 30.

Shares of Ceylon Tobacco Company Plc fell 1.07 percent, while the biggest listed lender Commercial Bank of Ceylon Plc declined 1.13 percent. 

($1 = 145.7000 Sri Lankan rupees) 

(Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath)

Monday, 19 September 2016

Sri Lankan shares hit 7-wk closing low; Distilleries down

Reuters: Sri Lankan shares fell for a third straight session on Monday to post their lowest closing level in seven weeks, led by Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka due to selling by foreign investors ahead of a change in company ownership.

The benchmark Colombo stock index ended 0.34 percent weaker at 6,450.44, its lowest close since Aug. 1. It fell 0.34 percent last week, its fourth straight weekly loss.

A government proposal to raise the value added tax (VAT) also weighed on sentiment.

The government said last week the cabinet has approved a proposal to increase VAT to 15 percent from 11 percent with some amendments, a move halted by the Supreme Court earlier.

Distilleries fell 4 percent, with foreign investors selling a net 13,600 shares in the company on Monday.

The company said last month that it would rejig a share ownership with Melstacorp, which is its 100 percent-owned subsidiary.

In a 180-degree share swap, Melstacorp would become the holding company, while Distilleries Company would become a subsidiary of Melstacorp.

Investors would be allotted four shares of the new parent company for each share of Distilleries after the reorganisation, it said.

The reorganisation will occur after Sept. 30.

"Distilleries dragged the market due to foreign selling. Investors are also not sure how the VAT hike would impact the corporate earnings," a stockbroker said asking not to be named.

Turnover stood at 328.5 million rupees ($2.26 million), less than half of this year's daily average of 742.1 million rupees.

Foreign investors net bought 63.9 million rupees worth of equities on Monday. They have net sold 2.25 billion rupees worth of shares so far this year.
Lanka ORIX leasing Company Plc fell 1.31 percent, while the biggest listed lender Commercial Bank of Ceylon Plc declined 0.42 percent. 

($1 = 145.1000 Sri Lankan rupees) 

(Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath)

Thursday, 15 September 2016

Sri Lankan shares post over 6-wk closing low on VAT hike concern

Reuters: Sri Lankan shares posted their lowest closing level in more than six weeks on Thursday, as a government proposal to raise the value added tax (VAT) weighed on markets.

The government on Wednesday said the cabinet has approved a proposal to increase the VAT to 15 percent from 11 percent with some amendments, a move halted by the Supreme Court earlier. The hike is expected to be implemented after parliamentary approval later this month.

The benchmark Colombo stock index ended 0.31 percent weaker at 6,472.47, its lowest close since Aug. 1. It fell 0.34 percent for the week, its fourth straight weekly loss. Both the stock and foreign exchange markets will be closed on Friday for a holiday.

"It was a very dull day as investors are waiting for directions. But the VAT decision was a bit of a concern for investors," said Yohan Samarakkody, head of research at SC Securities (Pvt) Ltd.

Turnover stood at 301.2 million rupees ($2.07 million), less than half of this year's daily average of 744.6 million rupees.

Foreign investors were net sellers of 19.9 million rupees worth of shares on Thursday, extending the net foreign outflow so far this year to 2.31 billion rupees worth of equities.

Shares of Ceylon Tobacco Company Plc dropped 1.2 percent, while conglomerate John Keells Holdings Plc dropped 0.5 percent.

Sri Lanka Telecom Plc fell 1.6 percent, while Dialog Axiata Plc declined 0.9 percent.

($1 = 145.4000 Sri Lankan rupees) 

(Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)

Dialog Axiata seeks buyers for 30% stake

Axiata Group, Malaysia’s biggest mobile-phone operator, is seeking to trim stakes in some of its overseas operations in deals that could raise as much as $700 million.

The Kuala Lumpur based company is seeking a buyer for about 11 percent of Indonesian unit PT XL Axiata, which has a market value of $2.2 billion, according to the people.

It is also selling as much as 30 percent each of listed Sri Lanka unit Dialog Axiata Plc and closely held Cambodian subsidiary Smart Axiata sources said, asking not to be identified because the information is private.
www.dailynews.lk

Sri Lanka police arrests Entrust Securities officials over Rs4.2bn fraud

ECONOMYNEXT - Sri Lanka's financial crimes police have arrested five persons connected to Entrust Securitas, a regulated primary dealer in government bonds, over a 4.2 billion rupees fraud, a media report said.

Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror newspaper said Dharmapriya Bandara Dassanayake (Chairman), Chanuka Ratwatte (managing director), Romesha Dushanthi Senarath (Executive Director), Sanjeewa Dayaratne and Niloshan Romelo Mendis (Director).

The five persons were remanded by court until September 28.

Entrust Securities is now managed by state-run National Savings Bank. The firm is alleged to have mis-appropriated funds of a provident fund in state-run Ceylon Electricity Board, and several funds of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, which is the regulator.

Sri Lankan shares edge down on VAT hike concern

Reuters: Sri Lankan shares closed marginally lower on Wednesday, posting their lowest closing level in nearly six weeks, as a government proposal to raise the value added tax (VAT) hurt market sentiment.

The government on Wednesday said the cabinet has approved a proposal to increase the VAT to 15 percent from 11 percent with some amendments, a move halted by the Supreme Court earlier. The hike is expected to be implemented after parliamentary approval later this month.

The benchmark Colombo stock index ended 0.24 percent lower at 6,492.74, its lowest close since Aug. 4.

"Investors are worried about the VAT hike. Profit-taking was also there," said Atchuthan Srirangan, a senior research analyst with First Capital Equities (Pvt) Ltd.

Turnover stood at 749.9 million rupees ($5.15 million), in line with this year's daily average of 747.2 million rupees.

Foreign investors, who have been net sellers of 2.29 billion rupees worth of shares so far this year, were net buyers of 407.3 million rupees worth of equities on Wednesday.

Shares of Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka Plc fell 4.38 percent, while Ceylon Tobacco Company Plc dropped 1.21 percent. 

($1 = 145.5000 Sri Lankan rupees) 

(Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)