Lanka IOC and Sinopec Raise Octane 95 Petrol Prices by Rs. 20 to Rs. 495

Oct 26, 2026 3 hours ago 1 min read
Lanka IOC and Sinopec Raise Octane 95 Petrol Prices by Rs. 20 to Rs. 495

COLOMBO, October 26, 2026 — Lanka IOC and Sinopec have increased their Octane 95 petrol prices by Rs. 20 per litre, bringing the revised selling…

Sri Lankan Pharmaceutical Firms Explore Export and Technology Partnerships at CPHI Milan

Oct 26, 2026 3 hours ago 3 min read
Sri Lankan Pharmaceutical Firms Explore Export and Technology Partnerships at CPHI Milan

COLOMBO, October 26, 2026 — Five Sri Lankan pharmaceutical manufacturers participated in an exposure visit to CPHI Worldwide 2026 in Milan, seeking export opportunities, technology…

Vegetable Prices Rise Amid Rainy Weather; Tomatoes Reach Rs. 650 a Kilogram Wholesale

Oct 26, 2026 3 hours ago 1 min read
Vegetable Prices Rise Amid Rainy Weather; Tomatoes Reach Rs. 650 a Kilogram Wholesale

COLOMBO, October 26, 2026 — Wholesale prices of several upcountry and low-country vegetables have risen sharply amid prevailing rainy weather, with tomatoes, capsicum and cabbage…

Norochcholai’s Second Generating Unit Shut for Maintenance; No Power Disruptions Expected

Oct 26, 2026 3 hours ago 1 min read
Norochcholai’s Second Generating Unit Shut for Maintenance; No Power Disruptions Expected

COLOMBO, October 26, 2026 — The second generating unit at the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant in Norochcholai has been taken offline for maintenance and repairs,…

Lula Wins Brazil’s Presidential Runoff to Secure Fourth Term

Oct 26, 2026 3 hours ago 1 min read
Lula Wins Brazil’s Presidential Runoff to Secure Fourth Term

BRASÍLIA, October 26, 2026 — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won reelection, defeating right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a presidential runoff, according…

BIZ BREAKING

Lanka IOC and Sinopec Raise Octane 95 Petrol Prices by Rs. 20 to Rs. 495

Oct 26, 2026 3 hours ago 1 min read
Lanka IOC and Sinopec Raise Octane 95 Petrol Prices by Rs. 20 to Rs. 495

COLOMBO, October 26, 2026 — Lanka IOC and Sinopec have increased their Octane 95 petrol prices by Rs. 20 per litre, bringing the revised selling price at both operators’ filling stations to Rs. 495. Lanka IOC’s increase took effect at…

Brent Crude Hits Five-Month High of US$113.17 as Houthi Attacks Raise Supply Fears

Oct 23, 2026 3 days ago 2 min read
Brent Crude Hits Five-Month High of US$113.17 as Houthi Attacks Raise Supply Fears

COLOMBO, October 23, 2026 — Global oil prices rose sharply on Thursday, with Brent crude reaching a five-month closing high as Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia heightened concerns over further disruptions to Middle Eastern energy supplies. Brent crude futures gained…

ADB Approves US$100 Million to Expand Livelihood Support and Social Protection in Sri Lanka

Oct 22, 2026 4 days ago 2 min read
ADB Approves US$100 Million to Expand Livelihood Support and Social Protection in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, October 22, 2026 — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved US$100 million in financing to strengthen Sri Lanka’s social protection system, expand economic opportunities for low-income households and improve care services for the elderly. The financing comprises a…

Sri Lanka’s Tea Export Earnings Top US$1 Billion as Rupee Revenue Rises Despite Dollar Decline

Oct 21, 2026 5 days ago 3 min read
Sri Lanka’s Tea Export Earnings Top US$1 Billion as Rupee Revenue Rises Despite Dollar Decline

COLOMBO, October 21, 2026 — Sri Lanka earned approximately US$1.083 billion from tea exports during the first nine months of 2026, crossing the billion-dollar mark despite lower shipment volumes and a decline from the US$1.163 billion recorded a year earlier.…

BUSINESS

Sri Lankan Pharmaceutical Firms Explore Export and Technology Partnerships at CPHI Milan

Oct 26, 2026 3 hours ago 3 min read
Sri Lankan Pharmaceutical Firms Explore Export and Technology Partnerships at CPHI Milan

COLOMBO, October 26, 2026 — Five Sri Lankan pharmaceutical manufacturers participated in an exposure visit to CPHI Worldwide 2026 in Milan, seeking export opportunities, technology…

Sri Lankan Firms Explore Maldives Hospitality Market at Hotel Asia 2026

Oct 24, 2026 2 days ago 2 min read
Sri Lankan Firms Explore Maldives Hospitality Market at Hotel Asia 2026

COLOMBO, October 24, 2026 — Sri Lankan companies showcased hospitality products and services at Hotel Asia 2026 in the Maldives, seeking new buyers, business partnerships…

Hayleys Solar Launches 24/7 Operations Centre to Monitor Renewable Energy Assets

Oct 23, 2026 3 days ago 3 min read
Hayleys Solar Launches 24/7 Operations Centre to Monitor Renewable Energy Assets

COLOMBO, October 23, 2026 — Hayleys Solar has introduced a dedicated 24-hour Renewable Energy Operations Centre (ROC), bringing renewable energy assets onto a centralised digital…

NDB Reports Rs. 7.7 Billion Nine-Month Profit After Fraud Charges; Q3 Earnings Reach Rs. 2.9 Billion

Oct 22, 2026 4 days ago 3 min read
NDB Reports Rs. 7.7 Billion Nine-Month Profit After Fraud Charges; Q3 Earnings Reach Rs. 2.9 Billion

COLOMBO, October 22, 2026 — National Development Bank PLC (NDB) reported a post-tax profit of Rs. 7.7 billion for the nine months ended September 30,…

ECONOMY

Vegetable Prices Rise Amid Rainy Weather; Tomatoes Reach Rs. 650 a Kilogram Wholesale

Oct 26, 2026 3 hours ago 1 min read
Vegetable Prices Rise Amid Rainy Weather; Tomatoes Reach Rs. 650 a Kilogram Wholesale

COLOMBO, October 26, 2026 — Wholesale prices of several upcountry and low-country vegetables have risen sharply amid prevailing rainy weather, with tomatoes, capsicum and cabbage…

Sri Lanka’s NCPI Inflation Steady at 8.1% in September as Food Prices Accelerate

Oct 22, 2026 4 days ago 1 min read
Sri Lanka’s NCPI Inflation Steady at 8.1% in September as Food Prices Accelerate

COLOMBO, October 22, 2026 — Sri Lanka’s headline inflation, measured by the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI), remained unchanged at 8.1% year-on-year in September 2026,…

Vidullanka–David Pieris Solar Plant Adds 10 MW to Sri Lanka’s National Grid

Oct 20, 2026 6 days ago 2 min read
Vidullanka–David Pieris Solar Plant Adds 10 MW to Sri Lanka’s National Grid

COLOMBO, October 20, 2026 — Vidullanka PLC and David Pieris Motor Company have inaugurated a 10 MW solar power plant in Ranna, expanding Sri Lanka’s…

Litro Gas Shipment Carrying 3,900 MT of LPG Scheduled to Arrive Today

Oct 18, 2026 1 week ago 2 min read
Litro Gas Shipment Carrying 3,900 MT of LPG Scheduled to Arrive Today

COLOMBO, October 18, 2026 — Litro Gas Lanka Limited is expecting a shipment carrying 3,900 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to arrive in…

MARKETS

Colombo Stocks End Week Lower as ASPI Loses 2.5%; Daily Turnover Averages Rs. 972 Million

Oct 24, 2026 2 days ago 2 min read
Colombo Stocks End Week Lower as ASPI Loses 2.5%; Daily Turnover Averages Rs. 972 Million

COLOMBO, October 24, 2026 — Colombo stocks ended the week in negative territory, with the All Share Price Index (ASPI) declining by 2.5% and the…

Colombo Stocks End Lower as Crossings Account for 77.6% of Turnover

Oct 23, 2026 3 days ago 2 min read
Colombo Stocks End Lower as Crossings Account for 77.6% of Turnover

COLOMBO, October 23, 2026 — Colombo stock market indices closed lower as price declines in Distilleries, Hatton National Bank and Dialog Axiata weighed on the…

Colombo Stocks Close Lower as Crossings Drive Turnover Above Rs. 1.5 Billion

Oct 22, 2026 4 days ago 2 min read
Colombo Stocks Close Lower as Crossings Drive Turnover Above Rs. 1.5 Billion

COLOMBO, October 22, 2026 — Colombo stock market indices ended lower as price declines in Commercial Bank, Carson Cumberbatch and Hayleys weighed on the All…

Colombo Bourse Loses Rs. 324 Billion in October as ASPI Falls Below 20,000

Oct 21, 2026 5 days ago 2 min read
Colombo Bourse Loses Rs. 324 Billion in October as ASPI Falls Below 20,000

COLOMBO, October 21, 2026 — The Colombo Stock Exchange’s total market capitalisation has fallen by nearly Rs. 324 billion since the beginning of October, with…

NATION

Norochcholai’s Second Generating Unit Shut for Maintenance; No Power Disruptions Expected

Oct 26, 2026 3 hours ago 1 min read
Norochcholai’s Second Generating Unit Shut for Maintenance; No Power Disruptions Expected

COLOMBO, October 26, 2026 — The second generating unit at the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant in Norochcholai has been taken offline for maintenance and repairs,…

All Three Norochcholai Units Reconnected to National Grid Following October 17 Outage

Oct 24, 2026 2 days ago 1 min read
All Three Norochcholai Units Reconnected to National Grid Following October 17 Outage

COLOMBO, October 24, 2026 — All three generating units at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant have been successfully reconnected to Sri Lanka’s national grid after…

Hambantota Port Targets Two Million TEU Capacity as Suez Return Opens New Opportunities

Oct 23, 2026 3 days ago 4 min read
Hambantota Port Targets Two Million TEU Capacity as Suez Return Opens New Opportunities

COLOMBO, October 23, 2026 — Hambantota International Port is preparing to increase its annual container handling capacity to two million TEUs in the first quarter…

Rain to Continue Across Sri Lanka on October 23; Southwest Wet Weather Expected Until October 27

Oct 22, 2026 4 days ago 2 min read
Rain to Continue Across Sri Lanka on October 23; Southwest Wet Weather Expected Until October 27

COLOMBO, October 22, 2026 — Rain is expected across Sri Lanka throughout October 23, while wet weather in the southwestern parts of the country is…

world

Lula Wins Brazil’s Presidential Runoff to Secure Fourth Term

Oct 26, 2026 3 hours ago 1 min read
Lula Wins Brazil’s Presidential Runoff to Secure Fourth Term

BRASÍLIA, October 26, 2026 — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won reelection, defeating right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a presidential runoff, according…

Trump Says US Is Not Negotiating with Iran, Signals Developments ‘Fairly Soon’

Oct 22, 2026 4 days ago 2 min read
Trump Says US Is Not Negotiating with Iran, Signals Developments ‘Fairly Soon’

WASHINGTON, October 22, 2026 — US President Donald Trump said Washington is not negotiating with Iran and indicated that developments could come soon, as uncertainty…

China’s Third-Quarter Growth Reaches 4.5%, Narrowly Beating Forecasts

Oct 20, 2026 6 days ago 4 min read
China’s Third-Quarter Growth Reaches 4.5%, Narrowly Beating Forecasts

BEIJING, October 20, 2026 — China’s economy expanded by 4.5% in the third quarter, slightly exceeding market expectations as strong exports helped offset weak domestic…

Trump to Take Up to 60 Days to Review Russia Sanctions, Rubio Says

Oct 18, 2026 1 week ago 4 min read
Trump to Take Up to 60 Days to Review Russia Sanctions, Rubio Says

WASHINGTON, October 18, 2026 — US President Donald Trump will take up to 60 days to assess the economic implications of Russia-related sanctions and tariffs…