ATTN: MS ANNIKA SENANAYAKE

RUNDOWN
THE STATE OF BUSINESS – 31ST JAN, 2008

OIL VTR CHAMINDA

CCPI(N) DRY RAVI

TOURISM VTR RAVI

CEYLINCO VTR SHASHIKA

ADD STATE OF BUSINESS BRIDGE

ADD CORPORATE BRIDGE

FITCH CARD RIYAD 00.45

ADD STOCK WATCH BRIDGE

STOCK UPDATE CARDS 01.30

CURRENCY CARDS 00.20

LINE UP EDITOR: ANOUK

ANCHOR: RAVI
HEADLINES
1. SRI LANKA ATTRACTS 3 COMPANIES FOR OIL EXPLORATION

AND
2. CABINET GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO GO AHEAD WITH TWO ARABIAN FIRMS TO
SET UP A PETROLEUM REFINERY
TOURISM

THE CONCLUDED PRESIDENTIAL AWARDS FOR THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM SECTOR
SAW 14 AWARDS NOT BEEN BAGGED BY ANY OF THE COMPETITORS WHO COMPETED
IN THE EVENT, AS NON OF THEM MET THE EVALUATION CRITERIA EXPECTED OFF
THEM TO WIN THOSE AWARDS.

THESE DETAILS WERE REVEALED DURING A POST MEDIA BRIEFING HELD IN

COLOMBO TO EXPLAIN THE OUTCOME OF THE EVENT.

ROLL VTR

CEYLINCO

SRI LANKA’S LIFE INSURANCE LEADER CEYLINCO LIFE HAD DECLARED THE
COUNTRY’S FIRST LIFE INSURANCE WEEK IN ORDER TO DRIVE THE PENETRATION
OF LIFE INSURANCE IN THE MARKET.

THIS WAS ANNOUNCED AT A MEDIA BRIEFING HELD YESTERDAY.

ROLL VTR

BREAK

3. WORLD BANK – VTR

THE LATEST REPORT PUBLISHED BY THE WORLD BANK FOCUSING ON AGRICULTURE

POINTS OUT THAT IF NATIONS WANT TO REDUCE POVERTY AND ACHIEVE GROWTH,
MORE INVESTMENTS NEED TO BE MADE IN THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR.

MORE ON THE WORLD BANK DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2008 WAS REVEALED AT A

MEDIA BRIEFING HELD AT THE WORLD BANK OFFICE IN COLOMBO THIS WEEK.

ROLL VTR

CORPORATE-FITCH-CARD

RATING AGENCY FITCH AFFIRMED THE NATIONAL LONG TERM RATING OF TRADE
FINANCE AND INVESTMENT LTD AT BB PLUS LANKA, WITH A STABLE OUTLOOK.
CARD 1
FITCH STATES THAT EVEN THOUGH TFI HAS GOOD CAPITALIZATION AND GOOD
PROFITABILITY, ITS RATING IS CONSTRAINED BY ITS SMALL ASSET BASE,
LIMITED PRODUCT DIVERSITY AND LIMITED FUNDING OPTIONS.

RETURN ON ASSETS WAS DOWN BY 5.3% FROM LAST YEAR AT 14.7% FOR THE
FIRST 3 QUARTERS OF THE 2007/08 FINANCIAL YEAR.
CARD 2
MEANWHILE FITCH AFFIRMED THE LONG TERM RATING OF SINGER FINANCE LANKA
LTD AT BBB LANKA, WITH A STABLE OUTLOOK.

FITCH STATED THAT THE PRINCIPAL FACTOR TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IN

SINGER FINANCE LANKA LTD’S RATINGS IS THE SUPPORT IT RECEIVES FROM
ITS PARENT COMPANY SINGER SRI LANKA LIMITED, THE LARGEST ELECTRONICS
AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS RETAILER IN THE COUNTRY.

THE COMPANY PROVIDES STRATEGIC BENEFITS TO SINGER IN TERMS OF

FINANCING ITS PRODUCTS, AND BY BROADENING AND DIVERSIFYING THE
GROUP’S PORTFOLIO AND FUNDING CHANNELS.

READ ON

BAURS

ONE OF THE LARGEST OPTICAL SPECIALISTS IN THE WORLD CIBA VISION THE
EYE CARE UNIT OF NOVARTIS AG, SIGNED A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH
BAURS LIMITED TO MARKET ITS VISION CARE RANGE IN SRI LANKA.

ROLL VTR

STOX

ANALYSTS SAY ACTIVITY PICKED UP SIGNIFICANTLY TODAY WITH THE MARKET

STAYING IN POSITIVE TERRITORY THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

DIALOG SAW TWO CROSSING OF 8.36 MILLION SHARES AND 880,000 SHARES AT
18.25.

THE COUNTER ALSO TOPPED TODAY’S VOLUMES TRADING 10 MILLION SHARES.

VALLIBEL AND REEFCOMBER TRADED 1.63 MILLION SHARES AND 750,000 SHARES
RESPECTIVELY.

THE MAIN CONTRIBUTOR TO TURNOVER WAS ALSO DIALOG INFUSING 183.2

MILLION RUPEES. DISTILLERIES INJECTED 29.4 MILLION RUPEES AND
DOCKYARD CONTRIBUTED 19.2 MILLION.

FOREIGN BUYING FOR THE DAY WAS AT 44.4. MILLION WHILE FOREIGN SELLING
WAS RECORDED AT 29.3 MILLION.
CARD 1
THE ALL SHARE NOTCHED UP 12.34 POINTS ENDING THE DAY AT 2,446.13
WHILE THE MILANKA ALSO CLIMBED 21.45 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 3,113.07.

TURNOVER WAS AT 325.2 MILLION RUPEES.

CARD 2
THE DAY’S GAINERS WERE HEADED BY KEELLS FOOD, PRINTACRE PLC, MULLERS,
ALUFAB AND SERENDIB HOTELS.
CARD 3
CEYLON BREWERY, BOGAWANTALAWA, SINGALANKA, HUEJAY AND DURDANS WERE
THE MAIN LOSERS.
CARD 4
COLONIAL MOTORS MADE A DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE DAY.

HERE ARE THE DAY’S FOREX RATES!

CARD 5 AND 6
SEGMENT: MAIN
DATE: 31 / 01 / 2008
REPORTER: CHAMINDA
SLUG: PETRO BID – VTR

SRI LANKA HAS ATTRACTED THREE COMPANIES BIDDING FOR OIL EXPLORATION
IN THE GULF OF MANNAR BASIN IN ITS FIRST LICENSING ROUND.

THE BIDDING ROUND TO OFFER THREE BLOCKS IN THE GULF OF MANNAR BASIN
COMMENCED DURING MAY LAST YEAR AND CAME TO A CLOSE AT 3.00 PM TODAY.

WE SPOKE TO A.H.M FOUZIE, THE MINISTER OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES

DEVELOPMENT TO GET MORE DETAILS ON THE BIDS.

ROLL VTR

Dr. Neil De Silva – Director General

Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat

‘OIL DEPOSITS’

2 blocks already offered

to India & China

Commercial exploration
will begin in 2013 or 2014

Earlier it was scheduled for 2011

VOICE OVER – PETRO BID – CHAMINDA – 31 / 01

VOICE CUT –

THE EVALUATION WILL BE BASED ON THE PETROLEUM RESOURCES

AGREEMENT THAT WAS INTRODUCED LAST YEAR.

ACCORDING TO AN EARLIER STATEMENT OF THE OFFICIALS THE

BIDDERS WILL BE MAINLY EVALUATED ON THE GROUNDS OF FISCAL
BENEFITS SUCH AS THE ‘SIGNATURE BONUS’, PRODUCTION BONUS,
ROYALTY, COST RECOVERY, AND PROFIT SHARING SCHEME AMONG
MANY OTHER CRITERIA.

OUT OF THE IDENTIFIED 8 BLOCKS, TWO BLOCKS HAVE ALREADY

BEEN OFFERED TO INDIA AND CHINA WHILE APART FROM THE THREE
BLOCKS NOW ON OFFER, THE OTHER 3 BLOCKS WILL BE OFFERED FOR
LICENSING AT A LATER DATE.

ENDS.
SEGMENT: MAIN
DATE: 31ST JAN 08
REPORTER: RAVI
REFINERY- CARD

THE GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT FOR TWO UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
FIRMS TO SET UP A PETROLEUM REFINERY AT HAMBANTHOTA.

CARD IN: GREEN LIGHT GIVEN FOR TWO UAE FIRMS TO SET UP A PETROLEUM
REFINERY IN HAMBANTHOTA

THE OVERALL ESTIMATED INVESTMENT IS 1200 U.S. DOLLARS AND 500 MILLION
OF THAT IS TO BE MADE PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF COMMERCIAL
OPERATIONS AND PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT TO 700 LOCALS.

THE TWO COMPANIES – TRANS ASIA GAS INTERNATIONAL AND STAR PETRO
ENERGY HAD SUBMITTED THE PROPOSAL TO THE BOARD OF INVESTMENT FOR THE
PROJECT, UNDER WHICH 100,000 BARRELS WILL BE REFINED.

THE PROJECT WILL BE UNDER TAKEN BY TRANS ASIA STAR REFINERY LANKA
PRIVATE LIMITED, THE PROJECT COMPANY INCORPORATED IN SRI LANKA.

READ ON..
SEGMENT: MAIN
DATE: 31ST JAN 08
REPORTER: RAVI
SLUG: CCPI(N)

THE CENTRAL BANK ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THE POINT TO POINT INFLATION
ACCORDING TO THE NEW CCPI FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY WAS 20.8
PERCENTAGE POINTS, AN INCREASE OF
2% FROM LAST MONTH.

THE POINT TO POINT INFLATION FOR JANUARY 2008 HAD INCREASED BY 1.1%
FROM THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD OF LAST YEAR.

ACCORDING TO THE NEW COLOMBO CONSUMERS PRICE INDEX, THE FIGURE FOR
DECEMBER LAST YEAR WAS RECORDED AS 18.8.

THE OLD CCPI RECORDED INFLATION AT 21.6 PERCENTAGE POINTS, A JUMP OF

5.2% FROM DECEMBER 2007.

READ ON
SEGMENT : MAIN
DATE : 31/01/2008
REPORTER : SHASHIKA
SLUG : CEYLINCO

SRI LANKA’S LIFE INSURANCE LEADER CEYLINCO LIFE HAD DECLARED THE
COUNTRY’S FIRST LIFE INSURANCE WEEK IN ORDER TO DRIVE THE PENETRATION
OF LIFE INSURANCE IN THE MARKET.

THIS WAS ANNOUNCED AT A MEDIA BRIEFING HELD YESTERDAY.

ROLL VTR

SUPER

R. Ranganathan
Chief Executive Director
Ceylinco Life

Samitha Hemachandra
Asst. General Manager- Marketing
Ceylinco Life

INFO TAGS

‘INSURANCE WEEK’

scheduled from 11th to 17th Feb

Penetration of life
insurance in Sri Lanka 10%
VOICE CUT / CEYLINCO / SHASHIKA / 31/01/08

THE LIFE INSURANCE WEEK HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FROM THE 11TH TO THE 17TH OF
FEBRUARY.

DURING THAT WEEK CEYLINCO LIFE INSURANCE PLANS TO CONDUCT PUBLIC

AWARENESS PROGRAMMES AND WORKSHOPS IN ANURADHAPURA, TRINCOMALEE,
AMBALANTOTA, RATNAPURA, GAMPAHA, TELDENIYA AND KALUTARA.

SPEAKING AT THE MEDIA BRIEFING HELD TO ANNOUNCE THE PLANS FOR LIFE
INSURANCE WEEK, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF CEYLINCO LIFE NOTED
THAT THE LEVEL OF PENETRATION OF LIFE INSURANCE IN THE LOCAL MARKET
IS LOW.

VOICE CUT – RANGANATHAN – IN – 06:20

LOOKING AT MARKET STATISTICS SO FAR ALL INSURANCE COMPANIES PUT
TOGETHER HAVE INSURED ONLY AROUND 10% OF THE INSURABLE POPULATION. SO
IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT FOR US TO TAKE THE MESSAGE OF THE NEED FOR
LIFE INSURANCE TO THE SRI LANKAN POPULATION AND AS MARKETS LEADERS WE
BELIEVE THAT IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL TO DO SO.
OUT – 07:02

RANGANATHAN ALSO SAID THAT THE CEYLINCO LIFE INSURANCE CAMPAIGN OF

2007 HELPED THE COMPANY ACHIEVE SATISFACTORY GROWTH IN NEW BUSINESS
AND PREMIUM INCOME DURING THE YEAR.

VOICE CUT – RANGANATHAN – IN – 05:17

WE HAVE THIS YEAR COMPLETED 5 YEAR TO THE LIFE INSURANCE INDUSTRY.
THE YEAR 2007 WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR US. IN TERMS OF PREMIUM
INCOME WE ACHIEVED A PREMIUM INCOME OF 6.8 BILLION RUPEES. THEREBY
ACHIEVING A MARKET GROWTH OF 20% WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE ESTIMATED
MARKET SHARE OF AROUND 34%.
OUT – 06:12

THE COMPANY’S LIFE FUND EXCEEDED 17 BILLION RUPEES AT THE END OF LAST
YEAR.

END/
SEGMENT: MAIN
DATE:31st JAN 07
REPORTER: RAVI
SLUG: TOURISM

SRI LANKA TOURISM SAYS THAT 14 AWARDS WERE NOT PRESENTED, AS

APPLICANTS DID NOT MEET THE EVALUATION CRITERIA, AT THE INAUGURAL
PRESIDENTIAL AWARDS CEREMONY HELD FOR THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM SECTOR
RECENTLY.

AT THE MEDIA CONFERENCE HELD YESTERDAY SRI LANKA TOURISM SAID THAT IT
WILL CONTINUE TO CONDUCT THE AWARDS CEREMONY ANNUALLY ON THE 27TH OF
JANUARY.

ROLL VTR

Nalin Attygalle
Chairman
Panel of Judges
‘HOTELS AWARDED’

Best tour operator – Aitken Spence Travels

Best 4 star hotel – Riverina Hotel

VOICE OVER- RAVI -31/01/2008- TOURISM

THE AWARD CEREMONY SAW 30 AWARDS BEING DISTRIBUTED AMONG 11

CATEGORIES.

SRI LANKA TOURISM SAYS THAT IT WAS HELD IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE THE
INDUSTRY, TO RECOGNIZE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO THE INDUSTRY AND TO
ALLOW STAKEHOLDERS TO SEE THEIR PERFORMANCE.

THIS WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL AWARDS CEREMONY TO BE HELD FOR THE
SECTOR WITH THE PANEL RECEIVING 105 APPLICATIONS.

HOWEVER, IT SEEMS THAT ATTENTION TO DETAIL FROM SOME OF THE STAKE

HOLDERS HAVE BEEN POOR.

VC – NALIN
11:19
REJECTION OF THE APPLICATIONS, HOW IT HAPPENS I BECAUSE OF THE
INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS BECAUSE SOME OF THE LEADING PEOPLE HAVE NOT
TAKEN AN INTEREST ON FULL FILLING THE GIVEN GUIDELINES. SO EVENTUALLY
THE END RESULT IS AN INCOMPLETE APPLICATION. 11:40

AT THE CEREMONY THE AWARD FOR THE 5 STAR CITY HOTEL WAS WON BY
CINNAMON GRAND COLOMBO, WHILE THE AWARD FOR THE 5 STAR RESORT WAS
BAGGED BY KANDALAMA HOTEL.

END/
SEGMENT: MAIN
DATE: 31ST JANUARY 2008
REPORTER: RIYAD R.
EDITOR: ANOUK T.
SLUG: FITCH-CARD

RATING AGENCY FITCH AFFIRMED THE NATIONAL LONG TERM RATING OF TRADE
FINANCE AND INVESTMENT LTD AT BB PLUS LANKA, WITH A STABLE OUTLOOK.
CARD 1
FITCH STATES THAT EVEN THOUGH TFI HAS GOOD CAPITALIZATION AND GOOD
PROFITABILITY, ITS RATING IS CONSTRAINED BY ITS SMALL ASSET BASE,
LIMITED PRODUCT DIVERSITY AND LIMITED FUNDING OPTIONS.

RETURN ON ASSETS WAS DOWN BY 5.3% FROM LAST YEAR AT 14.7% FOR THE
FIRST 3 QUARTERS OF THE 2007/08 FINANCIAL YEAR.
CARD 2
MEANWHILE FITCH AFFIRMED THE LONG TERM RATING OF SINGER FINANCE LANKA
LTD AT BBB LANKA, WITH A STABLE OUTLOOK.

FITCH STATED THAT THE PRINCIPAL FACTOR TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IN

SINGER FINANCE LANKA LTD’S RATINGS IS THE SUPPORT IT RECEIVES FROM
ITS PARENT COMPANY SINGER SRI LANKA LIMITED, THE LARGEST ELECTRONICS
AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS RETAILER IN THE COUNTRY.

THE COMPANY PROVIDES STRATEGIC BENEFITS TO SINGER IN TERMS OF

FINANCING ITS PRODUCTS, AND BY BROADENING AND DIVERSIFYING THE
GROUP’S PORTFOLIO AND FUNDING CHANNELS.

READ ON
CARD 1:

FITCH RATINGS ON TFI

National Long-term rating

affirmed at ‘BB+(lka)’

Pre-tax return on assets: 14.7%

Overall solvency ratio: 20.9%

at end-9M08

CARD 2

FITCH RATINGS ON SINGER FINANCE

National Long-term rating

affirmed at ‘BBB(lka)’

Asset base: Rs. 1.1 Bn (end Sep. 07)

Return on assets improved

to 2.9% at H108
STOX

ANALYSTS SAY ACTIVITY PICKED UP SIGNIFICANTLY TODAY WITH THE MARKET

STAYING IN POSITIVE TERRITORY THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

DIALOG SAW TWO CROSSING OF 8.36 MILLION SHARES AND 880,000 SHARES AT
18.25.

THE COUNTER ALSO TOPPED TODAY’S VOLUMES TRADING 10 MILLION SHARES.

VALLIBEL AND REEFCOMBER TRADED 1.63 MILLION SHARES AND 750,000 SHARES
RESPECTIVELY.

THE MAIN CONTRIBUTOR TO TURNOVER WAS ALSO DIALOG INFUSING 183.2

MILLION RUPEES. DISTILLERIES INJECTED 29.4 MILLION RUPEES AND
DOCKYARD CONTRIBUTED 19.2 MILLION.

FOREIGN BUYING FOR THE DAY WAS AT 44.4. MILLION WHILE FOREIGN SELLING
WAS RECORDED AT 29.3 MILLION.
CARD 1
THE ALL SHARE NOTCHED UP 12.34 POINTS ENDING THE DAY AT 2,446.13
WHILE THE MILANKA ALSO CLIMBED 21.45 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 3,113.07.

TURNOVER WAS AT 325.2 MILLION RUPEES.

CARD 2
THE DAY’S GAINERS WERE HEADED BY KEELLS FOOD, PRINTACRE PLC, MULLERS,
ALUFAB AND SERENDIB HOTELS.
CARD 3
CEYLON BREWERY, BOGAWANTALAWA, SINGALANKA, HUEJAY AND DURDANS WERE
THE MAIN LOSERS.
CARD 4
COLONIAL MOTORS MADE A DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE DAY.

HERE ARE THE DAY’S FOREX RATES!

CARD 5 AND 6