Business, investment uncertainty lingers on

" In the meantime, the work-to-rule campaign this week by trade unions attached to the petroleum, water, electricity and ports sectors didn’t go as planned for the unions. Apart from a rush to fill up their tanks on the day before the protest, there was no serious disruption of essential services and the military didn’t need to move in, although placed on standby if a crisis emerged.

The General (Sarath Fonseka) factor has got entrenched into the political, economic and social fabric of the country. The stock market has slumped to between Rs 300-to-500 million from the Rs 1 billion a day turnover a few weeks back with the Raj Rajaratnam issue not an influencing factor anymore as against the uncertainty of elections and General Fonseka entering the fray as a candidate at the presidential poll. The stock market, controlled by the pro-UNP, Colombo-centric business community, would be hoping for a UNP victory and market developments would be influenced by these factors. "

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