Emirates, Etihad to resume transit flights, Qatar Airways adds more

DUBAI (Reuters):  Emirates and Etihad Airways will resume some transit flights after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) lifted a suspension on services where passengers stop off in the country to change planes, or for refuelling.

Dubai’s Emirates, one of the world’s biggest long-haul airlines, said on Thursday it would operate transit flights to 29 destinations in Asia, Europe and North America by June 15.
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Standard Chartered Sri Lanka supports MAS Intimates’ combat against COVID-19

Standard Chartered announced today that MAS Intimates (Pvt) Ltd., a division of MAS Holdings, has become the first company in South Asia to complete a drawdown under the Bank’s USD1 billion COVID-19 financing commitment.
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US$361mn outflow from government securities in first 3 months, CSE cumulative outflow US$28mn

A net outflow of the foreign investment amounting to US $ 261 million was recorded from the rupee denominated government securities market in March 2020, resulting in a cumulative net outflow of US $ 361 million during the first three months of 2020, the Central Bank said.
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Sri Lanka’s tourism earnings, workers’ remittances decline in March

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry was severely affected from March 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the termination of all passenger flights and ships to Sri Lanka, there was a cessation of tourist arrivals from the third week of March 2020, resulting in a substantial decline in tourist arrivals by 70.8% to 71,370 from 244,328 in March 2019, the Central Bank said on Monday (01).
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China Merchants Port develops intelligent port

China’s port operator China Merchants Port, Alibaba and financial service provider Ant Group have signed a strategic cooperation frame agreement to jointly promote port + internet platform.
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President seeks unconditional financial support from global creditors

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday (28) called for unconditional support from bilateral and multilateral official lenders for developing countries.
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COVID-19 and the Sri Lankan Stock Market: Looking Ahead with Confidence

The Colombo Stock Exchange resumed stock market operations on 11 May 2020, following an extended closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this interview, Mr. Ray Abeywardena, the Chairman of CSE comprehensively discusses the efforts of the CSE amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and offers an outlook on the way forward for the Exchange and the market.
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Thai government reduces stake in Thai Airways

The Thai government is no longer a majority shareholder in Thai Airways after the country’s finance ministry reduced its stake to 47.86% from 51.03%.
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Proposal to reopen airports for tourists from 1st August

The Task Force Committee entrusted with COVID – 19 control proposed to President to reopen airports for foreign tourists from 1st August as the country is gradually returning to normalcy.
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USD 75 mn Cement factory to Hambantota

A new local cement manufacturer is ready to enter the market with 2.3 million tons capacity plant being built with a USD 75 million investment in the South.

This will bring the total local cement manufacturers capacity up to 9.6 milion tons per annum.
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