News & market updates

National Development Bank PLC (NDB.N0000) was named Sri Lanka’s Best Digital Bank for SMEs at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025. The accolade highlights NDB’s SME-focused digital platforms NEOS BIZ and TradeLinc as key drivers of its digital offering.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed higher, ASPI up 0.39% (76.33 pts) at 19,642.48 with turnover LKR 5.66bn. John Keells fell 20 cents to LKR 23.90 amid negative publicity, while Hayleys, DFCC, Browns Investments and NDB were among the top contributors.

NDB Bank has appointed Akila Bogahawatta as its dedicated remittance representative in Dubai to strengthen remittance support for Sri Lankan expatriates. The bank promotes multiple channels (Western Union, NDB Qik Remittance), global partners and a Remit Saver Account with digital tracking and preferential rates.

National Development Bank PLC was named Sri Lanka’s Best Digital Bank for SMEs at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025. The award highlights NDB's NEOS BIZ SME banking app and TradeLinc supply-chain finance platform as drivers of its digital SME proposition.

NDB Bank held an NEOSBIZ digital transformation forum in Avissawella to showcase its NEOSBIZ mobile banking platform for SMEs, demonstrating features such as bulk payments, payroll, QR transactions and real-time fund tracking.

HNB CEO Damith Pallewatte outlines HNB's plan to channel private capital into agrimodernisation and exporters, targeting 30,000 Agripreneurs under HNB Sarusara. He cites 4.8% GDP growth in 1Q25 and an 800bp policy‑rate cut since 2023 as supporting conditions.

NDB Bank held an SME digital transformation forum in Avissawella to promote its NEOSBIZ mobile banking app for SMEs. The event demonstrated features including bulk payments, payroll, QR transactions and real-time fund tracking to support SME digitisation.

NDB Bank partnered with NCGI and Hatch to promote NCGI-backed collateral-free loan guarantees to startups, hosting an awareness session attended by over 40 startups and SMEs. The facility aims to let entrepreneurs—especially in IT—access business loans without traditional collateral.

The Association of Professional Bankers hosted a panel at the Bank of Ceylon where CISOs from Commercial Bank and Hatton National Bank and other experts discussed strengthening cyber risk supervision and digital resilience for the banking sector.

NDB Bank won eight awards at the Sri Lanka Islamic Banking and Finance Industry (SLIBFI) Awards 2025, including four Golds and four Bronze/Merit distinctions, notably a Gold for Islamic Finance Deal of the Year. Senior executives and NDB Shareek staff received multiple individual honours, underscoring the bank's Islamic banking leadership.

ASPI rose 136.16 points (2%) to close at 19,379 on turnover of Rs.6.21bn, with banks dominating activity. CINS, CFIN, NDB, COMB and CTC were top positive contributors; NDB rose, DFCC fell and Ambeon (TAP) gained.

NDB Bank won eight awards at the Sri Lanka Islamic Banking and Finance Industry (SLIBFI) Awards 2025, including Gold for Islamic Finance Deal of the Year and multiple individual Golds recognising its Islamic banking team.

Colombo market extended its rally after the Central Bank held policy rates, with the ASPI up 151.15 pts (0.79%) to 19,243. Turnover was Rs.6.23bn (235.33m shares) while foreigners were net sellers (Rs.99.6m); DFCC, Richard Pieris, NDB, Carson, NTB, JKH, Dockyard, Sunshine and RIL were among top contributors/movers.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed higher, ASPI up 0.79% (151.15 pts) at 19,243.08 and S&P SL20 up 0.57% at 5,689.62. Top contributors included DFCC, Carson Cumberbatch, NDB and NTB; banking stocks led turnover (Rs1.3bn) and the central bank kept the policy rate at 7.75%.

Colombo bourse extended gains as the ASPI closed at 19,092 (up ~47 points) on turnover of Rs.5.9bn; banking led activity (23%) and top contributors included DFCC, NDB, AEL, HNB and ASHO, while foreigners were net sellers of Rs.38.2m.

Colombo's ASPI rose 0.25% to 19,091.93, led by gains in DFCC, NDB, Access Engineering and HNB; turnover was about 5.9 billion rupees and spot gold was trading near $3,400. Sri Lanka is set for another round of US tariff talks ahead of an Aug 1 deadline.

NDB appointed Akila Bogahawatta as its Dubai remittance representative to strengthen remittance services for Sri Lankan expatriates. The bank highlighted multiple channels and global partners (Western Union, Federal Exchange, UREMIT, Mastercard), agent partners including Sarvodaya Development Finance and CDB Finance, and products such as NDB Qik Remittance and the Remit Saver Account.

NDB Bank ran a Women’s Entrepreneurship Upskilling session where taxation expert Asisiri Pradeep gave practical tax guidance to help women entrepreneurs formalise, price correctly, stay compliant and access finance.

National Development Bank PLC (NDB) won two awards at the Asian Banking & Finance Retail Banking Awards 2025 — Domestic Retail Bank of the Year (Sri Lanka) and Islamic Banking Initiative of the Year (Sri Lanka), the latter for the first time. These follow its earlier award as Domestic Project Finance Bank of the Year.

Profit-taking dragged the Colombo market down, with ASPI closing 8 points lower (‑0.04%) at 18,877 on turnover of Rs.6.2bn and foreign net selling of Rs.115.2m. COMB, MELS, SAMP and NDB were top negative contributors while JETS, SERV and AEL recorded gains.

Sri Lanka stocks closed marginally down with the ASPI slipping 0.04% to 18,876.85 and the S&P SL20 falling 0.69% to 5,628.93. Turnover dipped to 6.8 billion rupees amid early profit-taking, with Commercial Bank, Melstacorp, Sampath Bank and NDB weighing on the market and high volumes in Industrial Asphalts, Jetwing Symphony and Beruwala Resorts.

NDB.N0000 won two awards at the Asian Banking & Finance Retail Banking Awards 2025 — Domestic Retail Bank of the Year (Sri Lanka) and Islamic Banking Initiative of the Year (Sri Lanka). The bank was also recently named Domestic Project Finance Bank of the Year (Sri Lanka) under the Wholesale Banking Awards.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon (COMB.N0000) launched Sri Lanka's first AI-powered SME credit underwriting solution to speed and personalise SME loan approvals. The machine-learning platform automates risk assessment and the bank plans to extend AI underwriting to personal, housing and card lending.

National Development Bank PLC (NDB.N0000) signed an MOU with World Vision to support 10 women-headed households in Kilinochchi through climate-resilient home gardening, small-scale livestock and financial inclusion. NDB will provide financial literacy, account openings and long-term financial management support while World Vision supplies agri technical assistance and inputs.

Colombo market fell as ASPI declined 0.58% (around 106 points) and S&P SL20 down 0.5% on low turnover of Rs.2.4bn; major drags included Melstacorp, Colombo Dockyard, Commercial Bank, Aitken Spence and NDB, while turnover was led by Sampath, John Keells and Vallibel Finance.

Colombo Stock Exchange ASPI fell 0.58% to 18,042.20 on Monday as US tariff uncertainty damped investor interest, with Melstacorp, HNB, Commercial Bank, Aitken Spence and NDB posting declines and turnover falling to Rs2.4bn. Colombo Dockyard announced a rights issue of 323m shares at Rs40.

CSE, SEC, SLID and KPMG hosted a Family Business Forum titled "Building a Lasting Family Legacy," attended by about 150 participants with panelists from Hemas Holdings, Sampath Bank, Janashakthi and NDB. Speakers highlighted succession, governance and promoting listings and capital markets to support SME financing and long-term growth.

Executives from Commercial Bank (COMB.N0000), DFCC Bank (DFCC.N0000) and NDB (NDB.N0000) attended AIA's Bancassurance Summit 2025 in Beijing to discuss bancassurance, growth, innovation and digital transformation. Commercial Bank MD & CEO Sanath Manatunge participated on the CEO panel on how banks drive growth and innovation.

Executives from Commercial Bank, DFCC Bank and NDB Bank attended AIA's Bancassurance Summit 2025 in Beijing to discuss bancassurance, digital transformation and regional partnerships.

Private credit expanded by Rs133bn in May 2025 (up from Rs71bn in April), taking five‑month growth to Rs478.6bn, while commercial bank credit to government fell Rs53bn. The central bank cut its policy rate last month and central bank credit to government rose Rs123bn.