News & market updates

National Consumer Price Index inflation rose to 2.4% in March 2026 from 1.6% in February; food inflation eased to 0.7% while non-food year-on-year inflation rose to 3.8% from 1.9%.

Indian Affair (Giga Foods Pvt Ltd) opened a new biryani-focused outlet on Saranankara Road in Dehiwala as part of its 2026 biryani-first repositioning. The takeaway-first location offers chicken, mutton and specialty biryanis and is available through major food delivery platforms.

LIIN and WUSC hosted the first GRIT-EDTP investor pitch competition in Jaffna to support women entrepreneurs after training 340 participants; winner Pallueir Ltd received Rs. 600,000 in seed capital.

Dividend · Rs 17.54 · XD May 27, 2026

Final dividend of LKR 17.54/share; XD 2026-05-27; record 2026-05-28; payable 2026-06-16; FY as at 31st of December 2025

CBSL's PMI showed Manufacturing PMI rose to 66.7 in March (from 56.8 in February) and Services PMI rose to 59.4 (from 54.4). Expansion was led by seasonal demand, financial services and retail, though firms reported raw-material and fuel shortages, shipping delays and Middle East conflict risks.

British Cosmetics (Private) Limited has entered a strategic partnership with Ethera Business LLC to advise and support its disciplined expansion into international markets; the first market-specific distribution partner will be announced in due course.

Sri Lanka–Benelux Business Council hosted a seminar on quality assurance, safety standards and certification, focusing on Halal certification and the global demand for Halal-certified products to guide exporters and food & beverage manufacturers on ISO and Halal compliance.

Sri Lanka's services PMI rose to 59.4 in March 2026 from 54.4 in February, driven primarily by financial services and growth in insurance and pension funding. Employment and activity also increased, with wholesale/retail and accommodation and food & beverage sectors expanding ahead of the festive season.

PMI Manufacturing rose to 66.7 and PMI Services to 59.4 in March 2026, indicating expansions driven by seasonal demand and strong financial services activity. Firms reported tight production from raw-material and fuel shortages, longer supplier delivery times and precautionary stocking amid the Middle East conflict.

Colombo Stock Exchange rose with the ASPI up 0.85% to 22,451.60 as global markets rallied. Top contributors included Carson Cumberbatch, Royal Ceramics, John Keells and Hemas while LOLC, DFCC and Singer were negatives; Hatton National Bank announced listings of 4,249,706 voting and 1,251,268 non-voting shares.

Fitch warns South and South‑East Asian banks face gradually building credit pressure from a prolonged Middle East conflict, with higher energy prices, supply‑chain disruption and weaker remittances likely to hit retail, micro‑enterprise and SME loan books first.

The cost of a traditional kevili table rose 7% in 2026 versus 2025. Aluwa prices jumped 25.8% (driven by a 43.6% rise in cashew prices), coconut oil and rice flour together explained nearly 80% of the overall increase, and the table now costs 2.5 times its 2019 level.

CeylonEat.com launched a digital platform integrating online reservations, instant payments and digital dining vouchers for premium hotels and restaurants in Sri Lanka, offering vendor dashboards and targeted promotions to reduce no-shows and boost revenue.

Aitken Spence (SPEN.N0000) opened the 41st Colombo Shopping Festival — Avurudu Fair — at BMICH, running 8–12 April 2026 and featuring over 200 MSMEs and multiple top retail brands.

Colombo market closed lower as the ASPI fell 0.33% (73.06 pts) to 21,844.54, with net foreign selling of Rs.221.4m (weekly outflows Rs.1.9bn) amid Middle East tensions; IMF staff-level agreement on EFF reviews helped a partial late-session recovery.

IMF, World Bank and WFP warned the Middle East war threatens global energy and food security, causing sharp increases in oil, gas and fertilizer prices and rising food insecurity. They said low‑income, import‑dependent countries will be hardest hit and pledged coordinated support to protect lives and livelihoods.

Operational disruptions at the Department of Motor Traffic are delaying vehicle registrations, with the one-day service stretching to six-seven working days and causing backlogs as imports reopen. Monthly registrations and import values have cooled (Feb registrations 51,682; vehicle imports $194m).

Sri Lanka's recovery from Cyclone Ditwah has slowed, with more than 149,000 people still displaced and $23.4m pledged of the $35.3m required for the humanitarian plan. OCHA warns rising fuel and energy costs, supply-chain disruptions, heat-reduced hydro output and funding gaps risk food security, livelihoods, tourism and resettlement.

Colombo market recorded its largest single-day gain as the ASPI rose 4.21% (885.14 pts) to 21,917.60 on Middle East ceasefire optimism; turnover was over Rs.6.6bn and foreigners were net sellers of Rs.612.4m. JKH, COMB, HNB, DIAL and DOCK were top contributors and the banking sector led turnover (24%).

Author urges Sri Lanka to expand QR digital payments and deepen economic cooperation with China (including Belt & Road) to bolster economic stability amid energy-market shocks from US–Iran tensions and shifting global currency/gold dynamics.

ASPI fell 0.45% to 21,032.46 as foreign net outflows reached Rs.1.099bn over two days (Rs.294m yesterday, Rs.805m prior). Banking led turnover (49%); key negatives included NDB, Ceylinco (CINS), Melstacorp and JKH, while Galle Face Capital (WAPO) gained.

DIMO's Power & Energy arm launched 'EVO by DIMO', introducing Siemens commercial EV chargers (11–360 kW), Sri Lanka's first dual-gun AC 22 kW IP65 chargers, a network app with tokenised payments, and plans for mobile 30 kW DC roadside charging and nationwide deployment.

LAUGFS Supermarkets opened its 43rd outlet in Pitipana, Homagama — the chain's third new store in Q1 2026. The company said the expansion aims to improve accessibility, support local suppliers and create internal promotion opportunities.

Colombo bourse opened mixed: ASPI rose 0.04% to 21,126.60 while the S&P SL20 fell 0.24%; market turnover exceeded Rs. 3bn and foreign investors were net sellers of Rs. 804.7m. Food & beverage and capital goods led turnover with heavy crossings in Melstacorp.

Sri Lanka has removed merchant fees for all LankaQR transactions up to Rs 5,000 effective Apr 6 and introduced streamlined QR-based person-to-person transfers to boost small-vendor digital payments. The move targets the rural economy and aims to scale monthly QR transactions from 90,000 to 1,000,000 within six months.

One-litre fresh milk packs vanished from Sri Lankan supermarket shelves amid fears of a price rise, leaving only smaller and flavored packets; 1L brands retail around 470–550 LKR while state Milco's 900ml is 380 LKR.

Government has waived the Merchant Discount Rate on LankaQR transactions up to Rs. 5,000 effective today, removing fees for small merchants to boost digital payments. The measure is part of the National QR Payment Promotion Program, including raffles and nationwide awareness campaigns to drive uptake.

Colombo Stock Exchange ASPI closed up 0.04% to 21,126.60 as banking stocks faced selling pressure after NDB disclosed an internal fraud loss of 13.4 billion rupees and trading in NDB was halted. DFCC, Cargills Bank and Access Engineering led gains while Commercial Bank, HNB and Melstacorp were laggards; turnover was Rs.3.029bn.

BOI held a full-day FDI promotion session with a 15-member Malaysian delegation to showcase ready projects, land and infrastructure for immediate investment, drawing interest in ICT/data centers, solar renewable energy, manufacturing, FMCG, agri-processing and tourism.