Japan Grants Rs. 4.56 Billion for Kelani River Pumping Project to Protect Businesses and Communities

Oct 29, 2026 1 week ago 2 min read
Japan Grants Rs. 4.56 Billion for Kelani River Pumping Project to Protect Businesses and Communities

COLOMBO, October 29, 2026 — Japan has agreed to provide JPY 2.179 billion, approximately Rs. 4.56 billion, in grant assistance for a Kelani River pumping…

World Bank Forecasts 23% Rise in Commodity Prices as Energy and Food Costs Climb

Oct 29, 2026 1 week ago 4 min read
World Bank Forecasts 23% Rise in Commodity Prices as Energy and Food Costs Climb

COLOMBO, October 29, 2026 — Global commodity prices are projected to increase by 23% in 2026, with rising energy costs, disrupted trade and threats to…

Colombo Stocks Rise as Banking and Telecom Gains Lift Turnover Above Rs. 2.2 Billion

Oct 29, 2026 1 week ago 2 min read
Colombo Stocks Rise as Banking and Telecom Gains Lift Turnover Above Rs. 2.2 Billion

COLOMBO, October 29, 2026 — Colombo stock market indices closed higher, supported by price gains in Commercial Bank, Dialog Axiata and Hatton National Bank, while…

Central Bank Names 27 Prohibited Scheme Entries, Warns Public Over Companies and Apps

Oct 29, 2026 1 week ago 2 min read
Central Bank Names 27 Prohibited Scheme Entries, Warns Public Over Companies and Apps

COLOMBO, October 29, 2026 — The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has listed 27 entries covering companies, mobile applications and related entities determined to…

Jio Surges 27% on Market Debut, Reaches US$137 Billion Valuation

Oct 29, 2026 1 week ago 3 min read
Jio Surges 27% on Market Debut, Reaches US$137 Billion Valuation

MUMBAI, October 29, 2026 — Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio Platforms climbed approximately 27% on its Mumbai stock market debut on Wednesday, reaching a valuation of…

Sri Lanka’s Official Reserves Top US$7 Billion in October, Rising 3.2%

COLOMBO, November 7, 2026 — Sri Lanka’s official reserve assets rose to US$7.086 billion at the end of October 2026,…

BIZ BREAKING

Sri Lanka Targets Saudi Capital for New Investment and Development Partnerships

Sep 29, 2026 1 month ago 5 min read
Sri Lanka Targets Saudi Capital for New Investment and Development Partnerships

COLOMBO, September 29, 2026 — Sri Lanka is stepping up efforts to attract Saudi investment into new development projects, seeking to transform its longstanding relationship with the Kingdom into a broader commercial partnership spanning investment, trade, infrastructure and private-sector development.…

Ending IMF Engagement After 2027 Could Put Sri Lanka’s Economic Recovery at Risk

Sep 27, 2026 1 month ago 4 min read
Ending IMF Engagement After 2027 Could Put Sri Lanka’s Economic Recovery at Risk

COLOMBO, September 27, 2026 — Sri Lanka could face renewed economic instability if it abandons its structural engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the current programme ends in 2027, the Dinana Dakuna collective has warned. In a statement,…

Sri Lanka to Exit IMF Programme in 2027 — What It Means for Businesses and Investors

Sep 26, 2026 1 month ago 6 min read
Sri Lanka to Exit IMF Programme in 2027 — What It Means for Businesses and Investors

COLOMBO, September 26, 2026 — Sri Lanka plans to complete its current International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme in March 2027 without seeking another IMF programme linked to debt restructuring, Minister Bimal Rathnayake has said. The planned…

Sri Lanka Approves Rs.17.2 Billion Electricity Relief Package Amid Cost Pressures

Sep 24, 2026 1 month ago 3 min read
Sri Lanka Approves Rs.17.2 Billion Electricity Relief Package Amid Cost Pressures

COLOMBO, September 24, 2026 — Sri Lanka’s Parliament has approved a Rs.17.213 billion supplementary allocation to provide financial relief on electricity bills, in a move that could ease pressure on households and businesses while adding another significant policy intervention to…

BUSINESS

Pan Asia Bank’s Rs. 5 Billion Debenture Issue Oversubscribed on Strong Investor Demand

Oct 3, 2026 1 month ago 2 min read
Pan Asia Bank’s Rs. 5 Billion Debenture Issue Oversubscribed on Strong Investor Demand

B D A Perera, Chairman and Naleen Edirisinghe Director/CEO of Pan Asia Bank COLOMBO, October 3, 2026 — Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC has secured…

ADB Approves $100 Million Loan to Strengthen Sri Lanka’s Skills and Youth Employment

Oct 2, 2026 1 month ago 3 min read
ADB Approves $100 Million Loan to Strengthen Sri Lanka’s Skills and Youth Employment

COLOMBO, October 2, 2026 — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $100 million results-based loan to support Sri Lanka’s efforts to modernise its…

Port City Colombo Steps Up Gulf Investment Drive Across UAE, Oman and Qatar

Oct 1, 2026 1 month ago 4 min read
Port City Colombo Steps Up Gulf Investment Drive Across UAE, Oman and Qatar

ABU DHABI, October 1, 2026 — Port City Colombo is intensifying efforts to attract Gulf capital into Sri Lanka, with a seven-day investment roadshow across…

Cabinet Awards Rs.2.89 Billion Baseline Road Extension Contract to Maga Engineering

Sep 30, 2026 1 month ago 3 min read
Cabinet Awards Rs.2.89 Billion Baseline Road Extension Contract to Maga Engineering

COLOMBO, September 30, 2026 — The Government has awarded a Rs.2.89 billion contract to Maga Engineering Ltd. for the third phase of the Baseline Road…

ECONOMY

CBSL Exchange Rates: US Dollar Selling Rate Rises to Rs. 336.92

Sep 17, 2026 2 months ago 1 min read
CBSL Exchange Rates: US Dollar Selling Rate Rises to Rs. 336.92

The Sri Lankan Rupee weakened slightly against the US Dollar on Thursday (17), with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) reporting an increase in…

Sri Lanka Economy Grows 4.2% in Second Quarter of 2026

Sep 16, 2026 2 months ago 3 min read
Sri Lanka Economy Grows 4.2% in Second Quarter of 2026

COLOMBO, September 16, 2026 — Sri Lanka’s economy expanded by 4.2% year-on-year during the second quarter of 2026, according to the latest National Accounts Estimates…

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Reserves Rise to US$6.9 Billion on Record Dollar Purchases

Sep 14, 2026 2 months ago 4 min read
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Reserves Rise to US$6.9 Billion on Record Dollar Purchases

Sri Lanka’s gross official foreign reserves increased to a provisional US$6.9 billion by the end of August 2026, reaching their highest level in five months…

Colombo Port Capacity to Increase by 1.5 Million TEUs as Sri Lanka Targets Continued Growth

Sep 13, 2026 2 months ago 5 min read
Colombo Port Capacity to Increase by 1.5 Million TEUs as Sri Lanka Targets Continued Growth

COLOMBO — Colombo Port is set to expand its handling capacity by a further 1.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), as Sri Lanka moves to…

MARKETS

CSE Indices End Lower as Key Stocks Decline

Sep 18, 2026 2 months ago 2 min read
CSE Indices End Lower as Key Stocks Decline

COLOMBO, September 18, 2026 — The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) ended the session in negative territory, with both major indices coming under pressure as several…

Aitken Spence Hotels’ Rs. 5 Billion Debenture Issue Fully Taken Up on Opening Day

Sep 16, 2026 2 months ago 2 min read
Aitken Spence Hotels’ Rs. 5 Billion Debenture Issue Fully Taken Up on Opening Day

COLOMBO, September 16, 2026 — Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings PLC has successfully secured strong investor demand for its maiden listed, rated, unsecured, senior redeemable debenture…

Asia Asset Finance Raises Rs. 1.5 Billion Through Rights Issue

Sep 14, 2026 2 months ago 1 min read
Asia Asset Finance Raises Rs. 1.5 Billion Through Rights Issue

Sri Lanka’s Asia Asset Finance PLC has raised approximately Rs. 1.5 billion through a rights issue, strengthening its capital base as the company moves forward…

NATION

Rumesh Pathirage Strikes Asian Games Gold with 88.55m Javelin Throw

Sep 29, 2026 1 month ago 3 min read
Rumesh Pathirage Strikes Asian Games Gold with 88.55m Javelin Throw

SRI LANKA, September 29, 2026 — Sri Lankan javelin star Rumesh Pathirage has secured the Asian Games gold medal with a commanding 88.55-metre throw, capping…

Government Announces Rs. 41 Billion Fuel Subsidy for Three Months

Sep 28, 2026 1 month ago 2 min read
Government Announces Rs. 41 Billion Fuel Subsidy for Three Months

GAMPAHA, September 27, 2026 — President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced that the Government will introduce a Rs. 41 billion fuel subsidy covering the next…

Minister Sunil Handunnetti joins Ceylon Gemlogue ’26 as Sri Lanka charts new direction for gem industry

Sep 27, 2026 1 month ago 4 min read
Minister Sunil Handunnetti joins Ceylon Gemlogue ’26 as Sri Lanka charts new direction for gem industry

COLOMBO, September 27, 2026 — Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti attended the inaugural session of Ceylon Gemlogue ’26 in Colombo today, as…

Adverse Weather Affects Nearly 3,500 People Across 15 Districts

Sep 27, 2026 1 month ago 2 min read
Adverse Weather Affects Nearly 3,500 People Across 15 Districts

COLOMBO, September 27, 2026 — Adverse weather conditions have affected 3,495 people from 943 families across 104 Divisional Secretariat (DS) divisions in 15 districts, according…

world

Netanyahu Defends Israel’s Military Actions as Dozens of UN Delegates Walk Out

Sep 25, 2026 1 month ago 4 min read
Netanyahu Defends Israel’s Military Actions as Dozens of UN Delegates Walk Out

NEW YORK, September 25, 2026 — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel’s military actions in Gaza and against Iran during a speech to the…

Australia Investigates OpenAI Agent Breach of Government Health Data Portal

Sep 24, 2026 1 month ago 5 min read
Australia Investigates OpenAI Agent Breach of Government Health Data Portal

SYDNEY, September 24, 2026 — Australia has launched an investigation after an OpenAI artificial intelligence agent gained unauthorised access to a government health data portal…

Trump Threatens Iran With Destruction as Diplomats Push for Deal at UN

Sep 23, 2026 2 months ago 4 min read
Trump Threatens Iran With Destruction as Diplomats Push for Deal at UN

NEW YORK, September 23, 2026 — US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran could face devastating military action if Tehran fails to reach a…

Canada, India Push to Finalise Trade Deal by Year-End

Sep 20, 2026 2 months ago 3 min read
Canada, India Push to Finalise Trade Deal by Year-End

MUMBAI, September 20, 2026 — Canada remains optimistic about concluding negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India by the end of this…