CSE Closes Higher as Dialog Axiata, Distilleries Lead Gains; Weekly Indices Remain Lower

Oct 17, 2026 2 weeks ago 2 min read
CSE Closes Higher as Dialog Axiata, Distilleries Lead Gains; Weekly Indices Remain Lower

COLOMBO, October 17, 2026 — Sri Lanka’s stock market ended the week on a positive note, with gains in counters such as Dialog Axiata, Distilleries…

Oil Prices Hit $110 a Barrel as Middle East Tensions Raise Supply Concerns

Oct 17, 2026 2 weeks ago 5 min read
Oil Prices Hit $110 a Barrel as Middle East Tensions Raise Supply Concerns

LONDON, October 17, 2026 — Global oil prices have climbed to their highest levels in months, with Brent crude touching $110 a barrel for the…

Sri Lanka Seeks EU Investment Under €300 Billion Global Gateway Initiative

Oct 16, 2026 2 weeks ago 3 min read
Sri Lanka Seeks EU Investment Under €300 Billion Global Gateway Initiative

COLOMBO, October 16, 2026 — Sri Lanka has sought European Union (EU) investment to strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), develop startup incubators and expand…

Sri Lanka–Vietnam Business Council Targets US$ 1 Billion Bilateral Trade by 2030

Oct 16, 2026 2 weeks ago 6 min read
Sri Lanka–Vietnam Business Council Targets US$ 1 Billion Bilateral Trade by 2030

COLOMBO, October 16, 2026 — The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has launched the Sri Lanka–Vietnam Business Council to strengthen bilateral trade, investment and tourism ties,…

Hambantota Port Handles Over 167,000 Vehicle Deliveries Amid Import Demand

Oct 16, 2026 2 weeks ago 3 min read
Hambantota Port Handles Over 167,000 Vehicle Deliveries Amid Import Demand

HAMBANTOTA, October 16, 2026 — Hambantota International Port (HIP) handled 167,569 vehicle deliveries between March 2025 and September 2026, highlighting its role in Sri Lanka’s…

BIZ BREAKING

BUSINESS

HNB Finance strengthens Board with four Independent Non-Executive Directors

Sep 11, 2026 2 months ago 4 min read
HNB Finance strengthens Board with four Independent Non-Executive Directors

From left: Renuke Wijayawardhane, Shanti Gnanapragasam, Nabiha Mohamed and Dr. Thisuri Wanniarachchi HNB Finance Plc has strengthened its Board with the appointment of four Independent…

DFCC Bank Partners with John Keells IT to Enhance Employee Banking Benefits

Sep 10, 2026 2 months ago 3 min read
DFCC Bank Partners with John Keells IT to Enhance Employee Banking Benefits

DFCC Bank has partnered with John Keells IT to introduce its Employee Banking Proposition to the company’s employees, providing access to a broader selection of…

GEM SRI LANKA 2027 Takes Its Global Ambition to Bangkok

Sep 9, 2026 2 months ago 4 min read
GEM SRI LANKA 2027 Takes Its Global Ambition to Bangkok

Sri Lanka’s premier gem and jewellery exhibition, GEM SRI LANKA 2027, has taken a significant step onto the international stage with its first official overseas…

Sri Lanka hosts 11 Asian nations to showcase JICA-backed farming success

Sep 8, 2026 2 months ago 2 min read
Sri Lanka hosts 11 Asian nations to showcase JICA-backed farming success

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Agriculture Department will bring 33 participants from 11 Asian countries to learn from Sri Lanka’s experience in…

ECONOMY

MARKETS

NATION

Galle Fort Leads Sri Lanka’s Tourist Hotspots as Visitor Preferences Evolve

Sep 10, 2026 2 months ago 7 min read
Galle Fort Leads Sri Lanka’s Tourist Hotspots as Visitor Preferences Evolve

Galle Fort has emerged as Sri Lanka’s most visited tourist attraction among foreign travellers, surpassing several long-established cultural and urban landmarks and appearing in more…

Yala’s Drought Shows the Growing Cost of Climate Stress on Sri Lanka Tourism

Sep 8, 2026 2 months ago 3 min read
Yala’s Drought Shows the Growing Cost of Climate Stress on Sri Lanka Tourism

YALA, Sri Lanka, Sept 8 (Reuters) – Mugger crocodiles bask along the edge of the shrinking reservoir, waiting like everything else ‌in Sri Lanka’s drought-hit…

Reservoir levels fall near 50% amid dry spell

Sep 8, 2026 2 months ago 1 min read
Reservoir levels fall near 50% amid dry spell

Water levels in reservoirs across Sri Lanka have dropped to around 47.3% of total capacity amid prevailing dry weather, the Irrigation Department said. Major reservoirs…

world

Panama Canal May Slash Ship Traffic Further as Powerful El Niño Intensifies

Sep 8, 2026 2 months ago 3 min read
Panama Canal May Slash Ship Traffic Further as Powerful El Niño Intensifies

Panama could impose further restrictions on ship traffic through the Panama Canal as a strengthening El Niño raises concerns over worsening drought conditions and declining…

Journalists missing in Indonesia after volcano mission

Sep 8, 2026 2 months ago 2 min read
Journalists missing in Indonesia after volcano mission

Indonesian teams were searching on Tuesday for seven people including five journalists who had gone missing while travelling to cover the eruption of Mount Anak…