News & market updates

A Vietnamese embassy delegation led by Ambassador Trinh Thi Tam visited Sri Lanka’s Northern Province (17–19 Nov 2025) to explore cooperation and invite Vietnamese investment in agriculture, aquaculture, agro-processing, tourism, infrastructure and renewable energy. The visit referenced the $1bn bilateral trade target and sought technical cooperation and capacity building.

FHIIT won the Bronze Award in the SME Local Brand of the Year category at the SLIM Brand Excellence Awards 2025. It is the first fitness brand in Sri Lanka to win a SLIM Brand Excellence award and was founded six years ago.

Early-stage gum disease is detectable and reversible through timely dental examinations and consistent oral care; regular professional cleanings and at least biannual check-ups can prevent progression to periodontitis and reduce related risks such as heart disease and diabetes.

Lanka Spa Association launched a Code of Ethics, Regulations and Guidelines for wellness spas and announced an NVQ Level 4 Certificate in Wellness and Spa at its 'Human Wellness 2025' conference on 9 November. The code was handed to the Health Ministry and referred to the Attorney General's Department.

Sri Lanka's NMRA set maximum retail prices for 350 medicines effective immediately, cutting Paclitaxel to 26,332.29 rupees per vial (from 42,000) and setting aspirin at 5.85 rupees per tablet (blister). Pharmacies must display price lists and the public can report sales above the approved MRP.

ADB has ratified an amendment removing its lending cap, enabling a 50% increase in annual lending to more than $36 billion to developing member countries. The move aims to scale up financing including raising private-sector financing to $13 billion a year by 2030.

Lanka Spa Association launched a Code of Ethics, Regulations and Guidelines for registering and operating wellness spas and announced an NVQ Level 4-accredited Certificate in Wellness and Spa at its 'Human Wellness 2025' conference in Colombo.

Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe said the budget's planned 75,000 recruitments are mostly for skilled grades — nurses, teachers, technical staff and engineers. He said the government will 'rightsize' the bloated public sector over 3–5 years using technology and retraining, including integrating military retirees into industry or entrepreneurship.

Sri Lankan Ambassador met Belarus trade and industry bodies to explore trade, investment and foreign employment opportunities, identifying agriculture, pharmaceuticals, light industry (garments) and tourism as priority areas. They also discussed direct air connectivity and upcoming Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit and Sri Lanka Expo 2026.

The Swiss Herz Clinic Foundation donated a Philips Azurion 3M12 angiography machine to Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, which the foundation says will double treatment capacity and help clear long cardiac patient backlogs. The handover is scheduled for 27 November and will include training and specialist visits.

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said Sri Lanka's 2026 budget maintains policy predictability, fiscal consolidation and disciplined debt management, supporting low inflation, stable interest rates and investor confidence. It urged converting fiscal over-performance into productive public investment (infrastructure, digital services, tourism, energy, health, agriculture) and fast-tracking SOE/PPP and tax-administration reforms.

NCCSL said the 2026 Budget is a key step toward restoring investor confidence and re-entering international financial markets by 2028. It noted alignment with IMF reforms and prioritises health, education, digital transformation, SMEs and restarting stalled infrastructure projects.

Hemas Holdings reported 1H FY26 earnings of Rs. 3.3 billion, up 32.5%, driven by a strong 2Q where consolidated earnings rose 36.6% to Rs. 2.1 billion. The group announced a conditional acquisition of a Kenyan consumer products company and a Rs.0.25 first interim dividend, subject to regulatory approvals.

Ceylon Chamber says Budget 2026 reinforces policy predictability and fiscal consolidation but urges faster implementation of reforms to convert fiscal gains into growth. It welcomes 18 of its proposals (e.g., Trade Single Window, PPP framework, digital ID, 5G) and calls for stronger tax administration, SOE/PPP legislation and targeted public investment.

Ceylon Chamber says Budget 2026 reinforces policy stability and urges faster implementation of reforms to meet growth targets. It notes 18 Chamber proposals were adopted — including a Trade National Single Window, PPP framework, digital ID/5G and BIA expansion — and calls for stronger tax administration and fast-tracked SOE/PPP reforms.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh agreed to deepen cooperation on maritime connectivity, trade and green tourism, including a proposal for direct port connectivity between Colombo and Chattogram to cut shipping costs. They also advanced talks on investment in infrastructure, EPZs/SEZs, ICT/tech corridor, pharma registration and renewable energy collaboration.

Sunshine Holdings reported consolidated 1HFY26 revenue of LKR 32.3bn, up 7.4% YoY, and group EBIT rose 18.6% to LKR 5.5bn. Healthcare contributed 53.7% of revenue; agribusiness (Watawala) revenue rose 21.9%, and gross profit margin expanded 153bps to 31.9%.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will present the 2026 Budget (second reading of the Appropriation Bill) to Parliament tomorrow (7 Nov). Debates on the second reading run from 8 Nov with votes and committee stages scheduled through 5 Dec, including the second-reading vote on 14 Nov and the third-reading vote on 5 Dec.

Thirteen labour unions submitted 18 policy-focused proposals for the 2026 Budget calling for labour-law reforms, forensic audits of SOEs (including Sri Lanka Telecom), retention of EPF management at the Central Bank, and a Rs.1 levy-funded social security scheme for gig workers.

CA Sri Lanka launched the Preparers’ Guide to SLFRS S1 and S2 and a three-tier Certified Sustainability Reporting and Strategy Adviser course to support national adoption of ISSB sustainability standards. The initiative aims to help companies and professionals implement the standards and improve quality of sustainability disclosures.

KALBE Sri Lanka will offer free diabetes screenings at 42 Cargills Food City outlets in the Western Province from Nov 14–30, 2025, aiming to screen over 12,000 people in November and 100,000 in 12 months. Clinics will provide random glucose tests, education and Diabetasol samples.

The Sri Lanka–Thailand Business Council elected Rizan Nazeer as President and pledged to expand trade and cooperation, highlighting the Feb 2024 FTA that removes tariffs on about 85% of goods and aims to raise bilateral trade from roughly US$350m to over US$1bn. The Council plans to boost private-sector engagement, joint ventures and SME access across agriculture/food processing, health and wellness, tourism, renewable energy and technology.

Tranz Pharma Holdings launched the AIDEX X continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) in Sri Lanka, offering up to 15 days of continuous glucose monitoring to reduce finger pricks. The device, produced by Microtech Medical, was unveiled at a medical symposium and a hotline was set up for patient inquiries.

Sri Lanka's 2024 census shows the over-65 share rose to 12.6% and under-15s fell to 20.7%, pushing the dependency ratio to 49.8 dependents per 100 working-age people. The shift signals looming labour shortages in agriculture, garments and services and higher fiscal pressure on pensions and healthcare; retirement age has been raised to 60.

Sri Lanka's population reached 21,781,800 in 2024, up 1,422,361 since 2012; the elderly share rose to 12.6% (from 7.9%) and the dependency ratio increased to 49.8%, indicating an ageing population and slower youth growth with implications for housing and healthcare demand.

LIIN estimates Sri Lanka faces a $7–10bn annual investment gap to meet SDGs and is launching a $5m Impact Enterprise Fund (mid-2026) targeting SMEs with $50k–$100k investments and a first-loss guarantee covering up to 20% of defaults.

A Japan-funded $8.4m IOM–SLPA project launched a roadmap to upgrade traveller clearance and health security at Sri Lanka seaports and airports, including an Automated Border Control system at BIA due in December. Deliverables include biometric upgrades, 17 cargo scanners, a Colombo Port health office and measures to raise ports' GDP share toward 6% by 2030.

Melsta Hospitals will be the Gold Sponsor of Medicare 2026 (6–8 Mar 2026) and has secured National Accreditation under the 8th Edition—the first Sri Lankan hospital to do so. The group plans a five-year expansion including regional growth (Bangladesh) and medical tourism services.

Colombo Stock Exchange rebounded as the ASPI rose 0.39% (88 pts) to 22,777.12 with turnover around Rs 5.38bn and foreign investors net sellers of Rs 372.5m. Key movers included Windforce (+17.6%), Colombo Dockyard (-9.9%) and gains in LAUGFS Gas and Lanka Realty Investments.

Sri Lanka held a "Business & Tourism Opportunities in Sri Lanka" forum in Brussels on 13 October 2025 to promote trade, investment and tourism, highlighting opportunities in tourism, pharmaceuticals, F&B, ICT, renewable energy and exports such as tea and coconut products.