Colombo Port transhipment growth accelerates as CWIT ramps up operations

The Port of Colombo recorded significant growth in container transhipment volumes in April 2026, building upon its record-breaking performance in the previous year.

CSE to recalibrate benchmark index in quarterly market reset

Sri Lanka’s benchmark stock market gauge is set for a quarterly shake-up next week, with the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) rebalancing the All Share Price Index (ASPI) to reflect the changes in public shareholdings across the listed companies.

‘Two leaves and a bud’ becoming fiction as climate change hits tea: Dilmah Chief

The centuries-old standard that defines premium Ceylon Tea is at risk of becoming “a fiction” as climate extremes disrupt growing conditions across Sri Lanka’s tea lands, Dilmah Tea Chairman and Chief

Industry calls for direct European charters as shifting airline dynamics challenge Sri Lanka’s tourism yield

The Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) is urging the government to offer incentives for direct European charters to attract high-yielding affluent travellers and defend the core tourism revenue.

Sri Lanka launches export roadmap targeting US$ 36bn by 2030

Sri Lanka yesterday unveiled an ambitious five-year export roadmap targeting annual export earnings of US$36 billion by 2030, as the government seeks to deepen the country’s post-crisis recovery by diversifying exports, expanding market access and addressing long-standing constraints that have limited competitiveness.

Economic recovery gathers pace as construction, finance drive 5.1% GDP growth

The economy expanded by 5.1 percent in the first quarter of 2026 (1Q26), extending its recovery streak, as a surge in construction activity, rising imports of production-related goods and stronger performance across financial and technology services helped offset the lingering external and domestic challenges.

Sri Lanka to kick off global promotion drive from end-July

The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau is gearing up to launch a comprehensive global promotion campaign starting from the end of July.

Sri Lanka’s tech exports widen over traditional Ceylon Tea in early 2026

The knowledge-driven information and communication technology (ICT) and business process management (BPM) sector has decisively accelerated its lead over the traditional tea exports during the first four months of 2026, cementing a structural transformation in Sri Lanka’s export economy.

Govt. to launch export blueprint targeting US$ 36bn revenue by 2030

Sri Lanka will next week unveil a five-year national export strategy aimed at nearly doubling export earnings to US$36 billion by 2030, as the government seeks to shift the economy onto a stronger export-led growth path and reduce its dependence on domestic demand and external borrowing.

UNDP urges SL to regularise carbon markets to unlock private capital

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has urged Sri Lanka to urgently operationalise and regularise its policy position on carbon trading, warning that private capital will only flow into markets that offer deep predictability and clear institutional structures.

Climate ambition alone won’t pay bills, Sri Lanka warned

Sri Lanka must urgently strengthen its pipeline of bankable climate projects or risk missing out on much-needed climate finance and losing ground in increasingly climate-conscious global markets, development partners and business leaders warned.

Colombo and Vizhinjam ports to complement rather than compete, say industry experts

Despite the widespread industry concerns that India’s newly developed Vizhinjam International Seaport will drain transshipment volumes away from Sri Lanka, leading maritime experts assert that the two deep-water hubs are positioned to complement rather than aggressively rival one another.

Banking credit-to-deposit ratio breaches 70% as rapid lending sparks systemic risk warnings

Sri Lanka’s banking sector witnessed its credit-to-deposit ratio surge to 71.2 percent by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

SL loses out on GDP gains as unpaid care and wage inequalities clip female labour potential

Sri Lanka is severely compromising its macroeconomic growth by failing to bridge the gender gap in labour force participation, a deficiency deeply rooted in stark wage inequalities for unskilled formal workers and a disproportionate burden of unpaid care work.

New US tariff could erode Sri Lanka’s export competitiveness: CCC warns

Says at a time when Sri Lanka is working to accelerate export growth, attract investment, and create employment opportunities, any increase in trade barriers presents a significant challenge

Sri Lanka caught in widening USA supply chain crackdown

Sri Lanka’s export sector could face a new challenge in the United States market after Washington proposed additional tariffs on imports from countries it says have failed to adequately prevent the entry of goods produced through forced labour.

CBSL launches anti-scam drive as fraud risks grow

The Central Bank yesterday warned that financial scams are emerging as a broader threat to confidence in Sri Lanka’s formal financial system.

Stability, reliability and transparency non-negotiable to unlock European investments

Sri Lanka must establish absolute policy predictability and regulatory transparency to successfully unlock large-scale European capital for its maritime infrastructure pipeline.

Urgent reforms vital to secure new GSP Plus scheme - EU Ambassador

With the European Union transitioning to a new regulatory framework, urgent calls for structural reforms are echoing across Sri Lanka to secure a successful transition to the newly revised generalised scheme of preferences (GSP) Plus facility - a lifeline critical for the survival and growth of the island’s export sector.

Revised IRD risk rules may slow VAT refunds for exporters: EY

Sri Lanka’s revised value-added tax (VAT) refund risk-classification framework could delay the refunds for a larger number of exporters, despite the government’s fast-track refund mechanism, according to a new Ernst & Young (EY) Sri Lanka tax alert, as the authorities tighten the scrutiny over taxpayer compliance histories and prior audit findings.

CBSL shifts into macro-stability defence mode with sharp rate hike

The Central Bank yesterday delivered its first monetary tightening in three years, raising rates by a full percentage point as oil shocks linked to the Iran conflict intensified pressure on inflation, the rupee and the country’s still-fragile external sector.

Exports top US $ 5.7bn in first 4 months

Sri Lanka’s exports surpassed US $ 5.7 billion in the first four months of 2026, with the growth in services, electronics, processed foods and coconut-based products helping offset the continued weakness in apparel and tea exports, amid the softer global demand conditions.

Auto market hits the brakes in April amidst digital firewall rollout and duty surcharge debate

Automotive market volumes in Sri Lanka declined sharply in April, falling to 51,156 units from 59,734 units in March, signaling a potential cooling of the sector following a period of high volatility.

Indian tourists secure nearly 50% arrivals in 1H May as market shifts to Asia

Sri Lanka welcomed 75,465 tourists during the first 17 days of May 2026, with India dominating the arrivals board, as the local tourism sector leans heavily into Asian markets.

National prices surge in April as fuel, electricity shocks deepen inflation pressures

Sri Lanka’s national consumer prices accelerated in April as the full impact of higher fuel, electricity and transport costs filtered through the economy, pushing inflation closer to levels not seen in several months.

JAAF defends rupee slide; says weaker currency boosts export competitiveness

Sri Lanka’s apparel industry sought to calm the concerns over the recent weakening of the rupee, arguing that the currency movement reflected broader global pressures rather than signs of domestic economic weakness, while also potentially improving the country’s export competitiveness.

Exporters warn currency gains being wiped out by higher import bills

Sri Lanka’s fast weakening rupee is beginning to expose a deeper strain within the country’s export sector, with exporters warning that the rising cost of imported fuel, raw materials and industrial inputs is rapidly eroding the short-term gains from a stronger dollar.

SL’s resilience keeps drawing investors back: Nepalese billionaire Binod Chaudhary

Nepalese billionaire Binod Chaudhary last week delivered a powerful endorsement of Sri Lanka’s long-term investment story, saying he repeatedly chose to back the country at moments when fear, instability and crisis had paralysed investor sentiment.

Sri Lanka to launch interim digital tourism campaign soon, followed by Rs. 4bn global push

Sri Lanka’s tourism authorities are gearing up to launch a targeted interim digital marketing campaign within days to cushion an ongoing slump in tourist arrivals, which will serve as a precursor to a Rs. 4 billion global promotional drive.

SL rubber industry’s 150-year milestone overshadowed by steep output decline