Economic Capsule - July 2014

Economic Capsule
July 2014
Research & Development Unit

ECONOMIC & BUSINESS NEWS 
 Commercial Bank Rated Most Respected Bank in Sri Lanka for 10th Consecutive Year
 Double Honours for Commercial Bank at Asia’s Best CSR Practices Awards
 Central Bank Enters into an Investment Agreement with Reserve Bank of India
 Financial Sector Consolidation Update
FINANCIAL SECTOR NEWS 
 Sell Singapore, Buy Sri Lanka
 Public Debt in Sri Lanka
 IMF Views on Sri Lanka
ANALYSIS & FORECAST
 The 3 T's of Opportunity for Sri Lanka
 SRI LANKA: 2020
C O N T E N T S

< Research & Development Unit >
Commercial Bank Rated Most Respected Bank
in Sri Lanka for 10th Consecutive Year
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has been rated as the most
respected bank in Sri Lanka for the 10th consecutive year and
the second ‘Most Respected’ corporate entity in the country
for the fourth consecutive year in the annual LMD rankings.
 Additionally, the Bank was ranked No 1 in Sri Lanka for ‘Honesty’ for the
second successive year, topping the category that is most important to
businesses in the financial services sector.
 Commercial Bank is the only bank among the Top 5 Most Respected entities in
Sri Lanka, and is ranked among the Top 3 in several other key aspects such as
Financial Performance, Quality Consciousness, Management Profile, CSR and
Vision. The Bank has been the Most Respected bank in the list since its
inception in 2005.
 The 2014 and tenth edition of this prestigious list of Sri Lanka’s most respected
companies includes the most diversified conglomerates in the country and
some of the world’s best-known multinationals.

Double Honours for Commercial Bank at Asia’s
Best CSR Practices Awards
 The Bank received the award for ‘Support and Improvement in quality
of Education’ and a Merit Certificate for ‘Concern for Health’ at the 4th
Asia’s Best CSR Practices Awards at Pan Pacific, Singapore, attended
by a prestigious gathering of business leaders, Chief Marketing
Officers and Human Resource professionals.
 Preceded by the World Brand Congress at the same location, the Best
CSR Practices Awards are Asia’s highest recognition of corporate
organisations that have a significant and positive impact on the lives
of people around them.
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has won double
honours for its commitment to the community from the
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Asia Council, which has
presented Sri Lanka’s largest private bank with two
prestigious international awards.

Central Bank Enters into an Investment
Agreement with Reserve Bank of India
 The Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the
Reserve Bank of India entered into a Bilateral
Agreement on the 24th July 2014 which
enables CBSL to further diversify its
reserves management activities into Indian
rupee denominated assets, while
reciprocally, RBI is able to access the Sri
Lankan government securities market, up to
a maximum value equivalent of USD 500mn,
each way.
 As a result, the CBSL could now access one
of the growing securities markets in the
world, realising a considerably higher return
for the funds invested.

Financial Sector Consolidation Update
 57 NBFIs and 12 banks have submitted plans for mergers/acquisitions and infusion of capital.
 The CBSL has approved 19 consolidation proposals, in-principle, and the respective
companies were proceeding with the merger/acquisition processes.
 19 NBFIs completed the internal processes in order to submit their proposals for the approval
of the Central Bank
On-going consolidation activities
 Mergers of DFCC Bank, DFCC Vardhana Bank PLC and the National Development Bank PLC, as well
as Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka PLC, MBSL Savings Bank Ltd., and MCSL Financial Services Ltd.,
continued to progress during the month.
 The work relating to the acquisitions of Lisvin Investments Ltd. by Assetline Leasing Company Ltd.,
and Asian Finance Ltd. by TKS Finance Ltd. also progressed.
Cont…

Financial Sector Consolidation Update (cont…)
Announcements of new transactions
 Certain banks and NBFIs made public announcements of agreed consolidation arrangements.
These included the Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC with Indra Finance Ltd.,
 and Deshodaya Development Finance Company Ltd. with George Steuart Finance PLC.
Source: CBSL

Sell Singapore, Buy Sri Lanka
“Step forward to today and it is Singapore that has the foreign exchange
reserves, amazing infrastructure, world renowned education and it is Sri Lanka
that is recovering from a period of war.
However, as any sensible investor knows, in deploying capital, it is not the past
that is important, but the future. As Singapore reaches the ripe old age of 50 next
year, it seems likely to be Sri Lanka’s turn to produce the economic growth over
the next 50 years that Singapore has produced since independence in 1965
Singapore’s reputation for its rule of law and fairness will not be matched by Sri
Lanka for many years to come. Many will also be concerned by continuing
investigations into the approach taken by the Sri Lankan Government in ending
the civil war and by allegations of corruption within the country.
However, the question has to be posed. If the past 50 years belonged to
Singapore will the next 50 years belong to Sri Lanka? At least today, it seems
likely that at least for the next few years, the growth opportunities are more likely
to lie in the Indian Ocean than in the South China Sea”
(About the writer: After over 24
years living and working in Asia, I
have structured and closed
complex transactions across the
region and have extensive
experience of the volatility of
valuation and liquidity that
dominates emerging market
investment. Following formal
investment banking activities with
the likes of HSBC, Paine Webber
and Citibank, I shifted to more
entrepreneurial activities with
direct experience in industries
from energy to digital media. My
focus is to identify key macro
trends, overlay the timing at
which time liquidity will arrive or
depart and then identify the best
way of executing this trend.)
Cont…
By Fraser Dinnis

Sell Singapore, Buy Sri Lanka (cont…)
 Sri Lanka occupies a strategic location adjacent to the main East-West sea lane. Literally every oil tanker and container
vessel travelling from Europe and the Middle East to East Asia (and back) has to pass within a few kilometres south of Sri
Lanka. The country is planning to take advantage of this strategic location by expanding its Southern Port at Hambantota and
at the capital city of Colombo.
 The country has built new expressways linking Colombo with the key tourist destinations of the South and on to
Hambantota as well as with the international airport. Further expressways are planned linking Colombo with the north and
east.
 Power generation has been expanded with the building of two coal powered stations (900 MW in total) and a 150MW hydro
project.
 Over 450 acres of land is being reclaimed from the sea adjacent to downtown Colombo to created ‘Colombo Port City’ in a
$15 billion project.
 The enormous tourism potential of the country is being supported by new hotels. Amongst international brands opening
in Sri Lanka Shangri-La Hotels are building two hotels totalling 800 rooms, Hyatt is opening a 550 room hotel, Marriott is
building a 200 room hotel and Crown Casino will open a 450 room integrated resort (another 800 room casino linked resort
being built by John Keels). However, this is only a small portion of the expansion of Sri Lanka’s tourism sector which counts
local and regional brands as well as a wealth of boutique and villa hotels. Tourist numbers are increasing by over 20% per
annum and the national airline has recently joined the One World Alliance. The international airport at Colombo is being
upgraded and a new international gateway in the South of the island was recently opened. Cont…

Sell Singapore, Buy Sri Lanka (cont…)
 Sri Lanka is the world’s second largest tea exporter and the fourth largest producer of tea. However, a lack of branding
has left profits lying in international hands. Moreover, its variety of climates from the tropical coasts to the cooler highlands
permits many other agricultural products to be grown.
 Sri Lanka enjoys a wealth of natural resources. Minerals include mineral sands deposits of the North and some of the best
large flake graphite so critical for the new super nano-material known as graphene to a multitude of gems, most notably
sapphires which are reputed to have the best colour and clarity of any found in the world. A Sri Lanka Sapphire was featured
in Kate Middleton engagement ring that was previously owned by Princess Diana.
 Sri Lanka has identified offshore resources of oil and gas which is now attracting interest from exploration and production
companies.
 Whilst the low paying garment and textile industries remain strong in Sri Lanka, the higher value software and business
processing industries are expanding strongly with export revenues in this area up from $213 million in 2007 to $600
million in 2013 and having a target of $2 billion by 2030.
Whilst the potential of the country is clearly high, it may come as a surprise that so much has been achieved in such a short
period of time since the end of the civil war. The answer is the China factor! Whilst Chinese investment may be one of the
factors now hurting Singapore, it has certainly propelled Sri Lanka and looks destined to continue to support the island’s
expansion.

Public Debt in Sri Lanka
Indicator
End
2005
End
2009
End
2013
End June
2014
Public Debt/ GDP (%) 90.6 86.2 78.3 74.3
Domestic Debt (%) 51.6 49.8 44.2 41.4
Foreign Debt (%) 39.0 36.4 34.1 32.9
Average Time to Maturity (ATM) of Public Debt (Years)
ATM of Domestic Debt 1.9 2.3 4.8 6.0
ATM of Foreign Debt n.a. 9.3 9.8 10.4
 According to the Central Bank governor, overall debt levels are likely to improve further after data showed
Sri Lanka managed to hit the debt-to-GDP goal months ahead of the year-end target. Central Bank data
showed the ratio of debt to gross domestic product had fallen to 74.3 %, by end June, 2014, which was the
year-end target set by the bank. The indicator stood at 78.3 % at the end of 2013.
 The average maturity of domestic debt extended to six years in mid-June from last year's 4.8 years. Foreign
debt maturity increased to 10.4 years from 9.8 years in the same period.
Source: CBSL

Public Debt in Sri Lanka (cont…)
 The concerns were also echoed by the International Monetary Fund, which stated medium-term sustainability of
growth depended on Sri Lanka's "judicious use of foreign borrowing ". These loans are not counted in the overall
debt figure.
 However, according to the governor, the offshore commercial borrowings by banks is very small as a proportion of
the official debt load.
 Since the end of a civil war in May 2009, Sri Lanka has increasingly sought funding from expensive commercial loans
instead of bilateral channels to pay for massive infrastructure projects.
 The governor stated the decision to go for commercial loans was due to conditions attached to bilateral loans and
lower availability of concessionary loans as the country progresses to middle-income-nation status.
 According to analysts, the government has also been borrowing through state banks and those loans, mainly for
state spending, are not reflected in the latest numbers.
 In the 17 months to September 2013, state banks have borrowed USD 1.85 bn from international markets at
commercial rates. The IMF last week urged caution on such borrowing.
 In absolute terms, Sri Lanka's total debt stood at 7.18 trillion rupees (USD 55.2 bn) at the end of March this year,
compared with 6.79 trillion rupees by the end of 2013.
 Foreign debt accounted for 44.1 % of the total, as of the end of March this year.

IMF Views on Sri Lanka
 Sri Lanka’s short-term outlook appears broadly positive, as Sri Lanka is well positioned to benefit
from the global economic recovery and particularly stronger growth in advanced economies. Real
GDP growth is expected to remain robust at about 7 % in 2014, while inflation is likely to remain in
the mid-single digits.
 The government has targeted a further reduction of the fiscal deficit to 5.2 % of GDP, which should
allow for even more reduction of public debt. With a continued robust export performance, the
current account deficit is expected to narrow further and allow for some additional accumulation of
international reserves.
 Near-term risks appear moderate given the ongoing recovery of advanced economies and a
relatively benign outlook for international commodity prices. Adverse climatic events (such as the
recent drought) remain a chronic source of vulnerability.
 Medium-term risks center on the potential for slower-than-projected growth in the advanced
economies, tighter external liquidity conditions and chronic turbulence in international capital
markets (negatively affecting rollovers and borrowing costs), and continued weakness in
government revenues, which could threaten fiscal and debt consolidation objectives. Cont…

IMF Views on Sri Lanka (cont…)
 Economic Performance: Sri Lanka’s recent economic performance has been better than expected—particularly given some headwinds from chronic
market turbulence and climatic shocks. While there remain weak spots in economic activity (such as agriculture, which has been negatively affected by
recent drought), strong activity in traditional sectors such as garment manufacture, and new sectors such as tourism and services bode well for the near
and medium-term outlook. This is complemented by a sustained reduction in headline and core inflation—bringing a new and welcome level of stability
which has hopefully fed into a new set of public expectations regarding inflation.
 Fiscal Performance: the IMF mission saw the fiscal stance for 2014 as appropriate, but raised concern about the composition of further consolidation.
Capacity in expenditure and commitment control has increased, enhancing the government’s ability to curtail spending to meet fiscal objectives. However,
given sizeable investment needs, the staff was of the view that spending cuts may have reached their effective limit, and that the burden of adjustment
needed to fall more squarely on increasing revenue. Particularly if Sri Lanka is to maintain current growth momentum and foster economic development
and diversification, high and sustained levels of public spending on infrastructure and human capital will be essential.
 Monetary Policy: The current, supportive stance of monetary policy is appropriate given the decline in inflation and weak private credit growth. However,
the overall picture is complex and requires close monitoring. On the one hand, with economic activity apparently on the rise and private credit (outside of
pawning activity) beginning to show signs of recovery, the authorities should be ready to adjust rates as needed to ensure price stability—particularly given
the long lags involved in monetary transmission. On the other hand, the current low inflation environment and the apparent change in inflation expectations
offers an opportunity for a downward shift in the interest rate structure that might benefit the investment environment (and borrowing costs) over the
medium term. Given the mix of signals, a cautious approach is warranted and the staff believes policy rates should remain on hold for the near term.
Cont…

IMF Views on Sri Lanka (cont…)
 Exchange Rate: Exchange rate policy remains broadly appropriate, but should be monitored in light of developments in the
balance of payments and inflation, and the commitment to flexibility maintained.
 Financial sector Consolidation: Financial sector consolidation has potential benefits in the form of economies of scale, new
products and services, and a greater resilience (via a stronger capital base) to shocks. The benefits of consolidation would
likely be more rapid if fewer restrictions were placed on restructuring operations. Continued progress on corporate governance
is also key. Close supervision during and after the consolidation process could also help avoid some of the pitfalls encountered
by other countries in episodes of financial sector restructuring, such as excessive credit growth. Consolidation may also result in
increased concentration and hinder effective competition if larger and state-owned banks continue to grow and dominate the
banking sector

The 3 T's of Opportunity for Sri Lanka
By The Boston Consulting Group
Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2014
Textile
Total global textile
trade (2013) = $ 545 Bn
Sri Lanka exports
(2013)= $ 4.7 Bn
Market share = ~1%
(Rank #21)
With textile exports
growing at 8%, growing
share in the next 5 years
to 1.5% is worth
additional ~ $ 5Bn
Tea
Total global tea trade
(2013) = $ 6.2 Bn
Sri Lanka exports
(2013) = $ 0.75 Bn Market
share = ~12% (Rank #4)
Doubling share in the
next 5 years and growing
tea exports at 10%+ is
worth an additional ~ $ 2
Bn
Tourism
Tourists inflow to Sri Lanka
(2013)= 1.3 Mn
Tourists from: India = 209k; China
= 54k
Tourist outflows from China
+India = ~120Mn
 SL share today = ~1.0% (India) &
0.06% (China)
With tourists outflow growing at
10%, increasing share to 1% by 2020
is worth an ad ditional ~$ 2Bn Cont…

Other Opportunities for Sri Lanka
By The Boston Consulting Group
BPO
Total market (2013) = ~ $ 144 Bn
Large value for countries
India (2013) – 1.1 Mn people - $ 20 Bn
Philippines (2013) – 0.7 Mn people – $ 13
Bn
Sri Lanka has favorable
demographics
English speaking
90% literacy
0.25Mn people will create an
opportunity of ~ $ 5 Bn
Medical Tourism
Total market = 100 Bn (2012)
growing @ ~25%
Large value for countries
India (2013) 1.5 Mn tourists, $ 3 Bn
business
Thailand – 2.5 Mn tourists, $ 4.5 Bn
business
Can Sri Lanka create a brand for
medical tourism?
1 Mn medical tourists will create
an opportunity of $2 Bn

SRI LANKA: 2020
Sri Lanka’s
per capita
income
would
surpass US$
4,000 by
2015 while
the GDP
would reach
US$ 100 bn
in 2016…
Presented by Ajith Nivard Cabraal Governor Central Bank of Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA: 2020 (cont...)
2013 GDP
Industry
Mining and Quarrying
Apparel
Other Manufacturing
Electricity, Gas and Water
Oil and Gas Exploration
Marine and Aquatic Resources
Technology and Innovation
Construction
Agriculture
Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry & Fishing
Industry
Mining and Quarrying, Manufacturing,
Electricity, Gas and Water, Construction
Services
Wholesale and Retail Trade, Hotels and
Restaurants, Transport &
Communication, Banking, Insurance &
Real Estate, Ownership of Dwellings,
Government Services, Private Services
2020 GDP
Agriculture
Agriculture
Fishing
Forestry
Livestock
Services
Wholesale and Retail Trade
Hotels and Restaurants
Transport
Banking
Communication and IT
Insurance
Real Estate
Healthcare
Entertainment
Education Services
Ownership of Dwellings
Government Services
Private Services
Sri Lanka: 2020
macroeconomic
framework
would reflect
several new
drivers in the
GDP
computation
tables…

Sri Lanka: 2020 would have a greater bias
towards export of services…
 Tourism services
 IT/BPO services
 Aviation services
 Maritime services
 Knowledge
economy
services
Macro-economic fundamentals and
trends…

The Economic
Diversification
Programme
would need to
continue,
based on the
‘5 Hubs ++’
concept

The financial sector would need to be developed and sustained in order to
become deeper and more liquid…
Full Presentation: SRI LANKA: 2020 Towards Surpassing the $7,000 Per Capita... Presented by Ajith Nivard Cabraal Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka

The views expressed in Economic Capsule are not necessarily those of the Management of Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC
The information contained in this presentation has been drawn from sources that we believe to be reliable. However, while we have taken reasonable care to maintain accuracy/completeness of the
information, it should be noted that Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC and/or its employees should not be held responsible, for providing the information or for losses or damages, financial or otherwise,
suffered in consequence of using such information for whatever purpose.
As Socrates puts it “the unexamined life is not worth living”.
The more we examine our lives and re-align ourselves,
the more we are likely to become more effective leaders.
Dr. Shantha Yahanpath - Director, Agape International and Senior Adviser, FPC Funds Management, Sydney, Australia

Economic Capsule - July 2014

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