Palm oil ban deepens forex drain for SL, industry warns

The ban on palm oil cultivation has cost the country millions in foreign exchange and risks worsening its fragile economic recovery, the Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) said, urging the government to reverse

Ceylon Chamber pushes private sector-led growth in National Budget 2026 proposals

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) yesterday presented its priority proposals for the National Budget 2026 during its first official meeting of the new board with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Ambeon Group raises stake in Ceylon Hotels Corporation

Ambeon Group increased its stake in Ceylon Hotels Corporation PLC to 10.79 percent, a disclosure to the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) showed.

R.M.P. Rathnayake appointed Chairman of BOC Travels

BOC Travels, the fully owned travel and tour subsidiary of Bank of Ceylon, announced the appointment of R.M.P. Rathnayake as its new Chairman.

Bond auction acceptance falls short

CBSL concluded the scheduled T-Bond auction yesterday, following which the secondary market saw some trading activity; however, volumes remained insufficient to prompt any movement in the yield curve

Crossings account for 63.7% of turnover

The ASPI closed in red as a result of price losses in counters such as Hatton National Bank, Cargills and DFCC Bank with the turnover crossing Rs. 6.5 bn.

ComBank achieves a world first with LoungeKey access for UnionPay Asia Prestige cards

Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC has become the first bank in the world to extend LoungeKey airport lounge access under the UnionPay Asia Prestige programme, following a partnership between the bank

Ruhunu Farms unveils new facility

In continuing a legacy of progress in the poultry industry, Ruhunu Farms (Pvt.) Ltd, a subsidiary of Aberdeen Holdings, commemorated the opening of its expanded poultry facility recently, on its premises in

Bairaha Farms’ Third Eye app wins Gold at Dragons of Sri Lanka 2025

Sri Lanka’s pioneering and leading chicken processor Bairaha Farms PLC claimed victory at the recent Dragons of Sri Lanka 2025, taking home the Gold Dragon Award in the Best Innovative Idea or Concept

Strong int’l and local interest for SLCB’s SL-MICE Expo 2025

The much-anticipated SL-MICE Expo 2025, organised by the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB)—the national tourism organisation under the Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Ministry —will be

Califolink Logistics with CWIT expands operations

Califolink Logistics, a subsidiary of Ceyline Group, has officially commenced inter terminal trucking (ITT) operations at Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) of the Colombo Port, further reinforcing its

Building aspiration for modern consumer: A case for home-grown brands

The world’s largest consumer packaged goods companies have hit an inflection point. Multiple leadership changes and sweeping job cuts have been announced over the last 18 months. Analysts point to slow

German Supply Chain Act reforms and EU GSP+: What SL’s exporters need to know

Colombo will host a timely and high-level discussion on the latest reforms to the German Supply Chain Act (Liefer kettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz – LkSG) and its intersection with the EU GSP+ programme and the

Maliban enters Indian FMCG market with Reliance Consumer Products

Maliban Group of Companies announced a landmark strategic partnership with Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL), a subsidiary of Reliance Retail and a fast-growing player in India’s consumer sector.

Vallibel Finance-Singer Sri Lanka partner for Piaggio three-wheelers

Vallibel Finance PLC has officially partnered with Singer Sri Lanka for Piaggio three-wheelers, the sole authorised distributor of Piaggio three-wheelers in the country.

Alliance Finance launches first-ever social bond on Colombo Stock Exchange

Alliance Finance Company PLC (AFC) celebrated a landmark moment with the issuance of its social bond on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE).

Aviyana Hotels Group claims dual honours at SL Sustainability Awards 2025

The Aviyana Hotels Group, developer of Sri Lanka’s first seven-star hotel, has secured a notable double victory at the prestigious Sri Lanka Sustainability Awards (SSA) 2025.

KPMG webinar to focus on SVAT repeal

In line with the government’s efforts to align with the global tax standards, the Inland Revenue Department has announced the repeal of the Simplified Value Added Tax (SVAT) scheme, effective October 1, 2025.

CDB Rings Bell at Colombo Stock Exchange Marking 30th Anniversary

Reiterating its presence in financial excellence and innovation, leading NBFI in Sri Lanka Citizens Development Business Finance PLC (CDB) marked its 30th anniversary celebrations by ringing the bell to

SL’s corporate tax collection lags regional peers, threatening fiscal recovery: WB

Sri Lanka’s corporate income tax (CIT) collection remains far below the regional peers, raising concerns over the sustainability of government revenue and its post-crisis fiscal recovery, the World Bank (WB) highlighted.

Skills Expo 2025 to address SL’s critical skill shortages across industries

The annual Skills Expo, returning for its third edition in 2025, aims to bridge the growing gap between vocational training and industry demand, the organisers said, as the country faces acute shortages in technical and skilled labour.

Advocata urges full SOE reform following Cabinet move to close 33 dormant SOEs

Colombo-based think-tank Advocata Institute commended the government’s decision to close 33 non-operational state-owned enterprises (SOEs) but urged that this be only the first step toward comprehensive divestiture of commercially viable entities.

Citrus Leisure sells 62.5mn shares in Hikkaduwa Beach Resort

Citrus Leisure PLC has sold 62.5 million ordinary voting shares of Hikkaduwa Beach Resort, representing over 10 percent of the resort’s issued voting shares, the company said in a Colombo Stock Exchange filing

PickMe expands into entertainment with QR ticketing platform

PickMe, Sri Lanka’s leading digital mobility platform, is expanding into the entertainment and lifestyle sector with the launch of a QR code-based ticketing system for events.

Indices bounce back with turnover surpassing LKR 11 Bn

The ASPI closed in green as a result of price gains in counters such as Hatton National Bank, National Development Bank and Nawaloka Hospitals with the turnover crossing Rs. 11.8 Bn. A similar behaviour was

Auction results fall short while yield curve shows marginal uptick

Ahead of today’s T-bond auction, the secondary market yield curve witnessed subdued activity and low trading volumes, with the yield curve showing only marginal movement.

Banks push card offers but debt growth remains tepid

Growth in Sri Lanka’s credit card debt showed signs of slowing in June, rising by just Rs.539 million, compared with a Rs.534 million increase in May, even as the overall consumer spending picked up.

HNB receives Euromoney’s recognition as SL’s Best Bank for Large Corporates

HNB PLC has been recognised as the Best Bank for Large Corporates in Sri Lanka at Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025, reaffirming the bank’s position as a trusted financial partner to the country’s largest businesses and most ambitious institutions.

Engineers called to lead Sri Lanka’s industrial transformation at IESL NEC 2025

The National Engineering Conference (NEC) 2025, organised by the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL), was held recently at Hotel Galadari, bringing together engineering professionals, academics, policymakers and industry leaders to deliberate on engineering-driven solutions for national development.

Sampath Bank crowned as Best Bank for ESG in SL at Euromoney Awards

Sampath Bank has been recognised as Sri Lanka’s Best Bank for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) at Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025.