Connect with us

BIZ

PickMe shares enters CSE for debut trading

Published

on

Shares of leading mobility solutions app, PickMe owner Digital Mobility Solutions Lanka Ltd., will debut today for trading at the Colombo Stock Exchange following its highly successful Initial Public Offering (IPO).

The shares of the Company amounting to 333, 323, 673 would be listed on the Main Board of the CSE with Security Code PKME-N-0000 and will be classified under “20304040 – Passenger Ground Transportation.” sector.

The IPO involved issuance of shares worth Rs. 1.56 billion (43,474,179 existing ordinary voting shares at Rs. 36 each), and when it closed on the opening day itself on 13 September, the demand had been for shares worth Rs. 4.2 billion. The shareholding percentage on offer is 13.04%. There had been 866 applications requesting for 116.646 million shares worth Rs. 4.199 billion.

Ahead of today’s debut, Digital Mobility Solutions Chairman Ajit Gunewardene said: “We are thrilled to mark this pivotal moment as our company goes public, as we bring our vision of technology enabled, accessible, reliable mobility to even more communities. This listing represents not only a milestone for us, but a commitment to pioneering digital inclusion using advanced technology across Sri Lanka.”

CEO Jiffry Zulfer said: “PickMe will offer investors a new dimension, exposure into the digital economy. We will be the first and at this point in time the only technology company of scale to be listed on the CSE. It has been an exciting journey so far and having reached an inflection point, we are confident that we can continue to generate strong profitable growth. Our long term goal is for our app to become ubiquitous in everyday life. We have the team and the skills to execute this.”

(ft.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by ft.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

BIZ

CAA warns of improperly labeled salt products

Published

on

By

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has warned to prosecute importers and retailers selling salt without proper labels, including missing manufacturer/importer info and retail price.

The public is advised not to buy such products, while distributors have urged to maintain valid invoices with supplier details or face legal consequences.

Continue Reading

BIZ

Printed book prices up by 20% due to VAT & NBT

Published

on

By

The National Book Traders Association says that the price of printed books has increased by 20% due to the imposition of Value Added Tax (VAT) and Nation Building Tax (NBT).

Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association President – Mr. Samantha Indeewara, made this statement while speaking at the annual anniversary event of the National Book Traders Association.

“The price of a book has increased by 20%, or about one-fifth. Officials are confusing the issue. Previously, there was a 15% VAT imposed on many items but there was no VAT on printed books. That’s what directly changed from 0% to 18%. Stationery previously had only 3% VAT. They are mixing up these two categories.”

“Around a week ago, there was a letter from the Presidential Secretariat stating that they are conducting an analysis regarding VAT and will subsequently provide an answer,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gamini Moragoda, patron of the National Book Traders Association, also expressed his views to the media on the matter:

“A VAT that is not levied in any other country in the world is being imposed on our books. The introduction of this tax from Jan. 2024, which didn’t exist in Sri Lanka for 75 years, is destroying the book industry. If this continues, a child will not be able to afford a single book in the future,” he pointed out.

Continue Reading

BIZ

Sri Lanka’s largest FDI project in limbo as Sinopec H’tota refinery face delays    

Published

on

By

Despite the 06 months since the agreement was signed for the $3.7 billion Sinopec oil refinery in Hambantota, the project remains stalled due to unresolved disputes over local market access, reports reveal.

The project, signed during President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s state visit to Beijing in Jan. 2025, was touted as Sri Lanka’s largest-ever foreign direct investment (FDI) project.

It involves China’s state-owned petroleum giant Sinopec constructing a state-of-the-art refinery with a capacity of 200,000 barrels per day in Hambantota.

According to the media release issued by the President’s Media Division on the occasion of the signing in Jan. 2025, a substantial portion of the refinery’s output was planned for export, further enhancing the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.

“This major investment from China is expected to bolster Sri Lanka’s economic growth while uplifting the livelihoods of low-income communities in the Hambantota area. Moreover, the benefits of this project are anticipated to positively impact the overall Sri Lankan population in the near future,” the PMD release further noted.

According to ‘Daily Mirror’, the project has hit a snag over the government imposing a 20% cap on the company’s local sales, despite Sinopec’s demand for unrestricted access to Sri Lanka’s domestic fuel market.

A senior Energy Ministry official, on the condition of anonymity, has confirmed that no agreement has been reached on the market share issue, though discussions are underway to resolve the matter, the report adds.

(Source – dailymirror.lk)

Related News :

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Sri Lanka Mirror. All Rights Reserved