A market brief each morning, plus company filings and news from across Sri Lanka's stock market. Filter by company, sector and theme, and use sentiment badges to quickly identify Positive or Negative news.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the government expects to provide a subsidy to cushion a likely fuel price increase from 1 October. He said global market prices indicate fuel prices would need to rise under the existing pricing formula, and the government will consider assistance to ease the burden.
Global oil prices fell for a third day, with Brent down 2.2% to $102.57/bbl and US WTI down 1.9% to $100.05, as investors weighed fresh Saudi-Yemen strikes against signs that additional Saudi crude may reach global markets and ease supply concerns.
The ASPI fell 1.52% over the week but closed Friday up 0.16% at 21,056.26, with the weekly sell-off linked to rising global oil prices and an uptick in government treasury yields; turnover was over Rs.1.3bn and foreign investors were net sellers of about Rs.5.9m.
Crude oil was set for a weekly decline after fears over Saudi exports eased on reports of ship-to-ship transfers off Oman; Brent traded at $103.65/bbl and WTI at $101.04/bbl. Prices remain above $100, sustaining upward pressure on end fuel prices.
The ASPI fell 0.52% (109.98 pts) to 21,023.43, hitting a 23-week low as selling driven by concerns over rising interest rates and sustained crude above $100 pressured the market. Top drags included Melstacorp, Dialog, Hayleys, Ceylon Beverage and RIL while foreigners were net sellers of ~Rs.213m; turnover ~Rs.1.3bn.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Sri Lanka will build on the economic stability achieved under the IMF's EFF programme after an IMF mission commended progress including higher revenues, foreign investment and a stabilized currency; rising energy costs from the Middle East conflict were also discussed.
Colombo Stock Exchange fell as the ASPI dropped 0.47% (−100.30 pts) to 21,033.11 and the S&P SL20 fell 0.30% to 5,929.45; market turnover was LKR 1.33bn, led by capital goods (LKR 282.3m). Investors cited slowing GDP momentum, US midterms and possible crude oil price rises as factors.
Colombo market slipped 0.61% to a six-week low as the ASPI closed at 21,133.41 amid rising oil prices and fears of an interest-rate hike; 172 counters fell, turnover was over Rs.1.6bn and foreign investors were net sellers of Rs.8m.
Global markets traded mixed as the Fed is widely expected to lift rates by 25 basis points; the US 10-year yield rose to 5.04%. Brent crude fell to $108.1/barrel and gold dipped to $4,321/oz, while the US dollar eased slightly.
Sri Lanka's real GDP growth slowed to 4.2% in Q2 2026 (y/y), down from 5.0% in Q2 2025, as the economy was hit by higher energy costs from Middle East tensions, weakened purchasing power after tax hikes, adverse weather and a sharp drop in agricultural output, with tourism also subdued.
Asian stocks edged higher, with MSCI's Asia-Pacific ex-Japan index up 0.5%, as a pause in the global bond selloff steadied markets ahead of a widely expected 25bp Federal Reserve rate hike; Brent crude slipped about 0.6% to $108.13 a barrel.
Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has not yet submitted a fuel price proposal and no price revision discussions are underway. He said future pricing will hinge on global price movements and noted the government provided Rs. 57 billion in concessions over three months.
Sri Lanka's GDP grew 4.2% year-on-year in Q2 2026 (Rs.3,029.6bn), down from 5.0% a year earlier and 5.1% in Q1. The statistics office said fuel rationing and higher fuel costs after Middle East tensions and subdued tourism weighed on activity; agriculture fell 2.3% while industry rose 7.3%.
Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka said the government will review domestic fuel prices at the end of the month after international crude surged; private distributors report losses of around Rs. 140-160 per litre and options include concessions or a price-band mechanism to protect consumers.
Asian shares wavered as oil rose (U.S. crude $102.68/bbl, Brent $106.96) and global bond yields climbed ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan policy meetings, with markets pricing roughly a 90% chance of a 25bp Fed hike. Middle East tensions and AI slowdown calls added to caution.
Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka said Sri Lanka is considering options to revise fuel prices after private retailers reported diesel losses of up to Rs.160 per litre; the state-owned CPC faces about a Rs.60/litre diesel loss offset by refinery profits. The government may apply subsidies or set upper/lower retail price limits as possible measures.
Global oil prices retreated on Friday but were set for almost 10% weekly gains after topping $100/bbl; Brent traded at $103.78 (-3.58%) and WTI at $99.23 (-2.17%) as markets reacted to escalating conflict involving Iran.
The Colombo Stock Exchange ended the week up 0.12%, with the ASPI rising 25 points to 21,382.74 after snapping a three-day losing streak. HAYC, CARG, SAMP, LOLC, SEMB and DIMO were top positive contributors; turnover was Rs.1.1bn and foreign investors were net sellers of ~Rs.50.5m.
Oil prices slipped on Friday but were up over 7% for the week, Brent $103.88/bbl, WTI $99.15/bbl, as attacks near key Middle East shipping routes and other disruptions pushed U.S. diesel to a record above $6/gal. European Central Bank officials also signalled the possibility of further rate rises if energy-driven inflation persists.
Colombo market slipped as the ASPI closed down 0.50% (108.26 pts) at 21,357.74 and the S&P SL20 fell 0.50% to 6,003.92 amid concern over Middle East tensions and rising oil prices. Top negative contributors were MELS.N0000, BREW.N0000, DIAL.N0000, CARS.N0000 and CARG.N0000; turnover was over Rs.1.45bn.
Global bond yields spiked and equities fell after Brent crude jumped to $109.97/bbl, pushing the 10-year US Treasury yield to about 4.97% and prompting markets to price in further central bank tightening amid higher inflation risks.
Colombo's ASPI fell 0.35% (76.23 pts) to 21,466 as Middle East tensions and rising global oil prices weighed on sentiment; the S&P SL20 slid 0.34% to 6,033.87. Market turnover was about Rs. 972m on 43m+ shares, with foreign investors net sellers of Rs. 71.3m; capital goods led turnover while diversified financials and banking were also active.
Asian stocks slid as Brent crude held above $100 at $101.4/bbl and US 10-year Treasury yields hovered near a 2023 peak at about 4.84%, denting investor sentiment ahead of US inflation data and a series of central bank meetings.
Brent crude rose above $100 a barrel, touching $100.19 after a ~2% gain, while U.S. WTI was near $94.52, as the Middle East conflict intensified. The move reflects supply-risk concerns after attacks on Saudi energy facilities and threats to Red Sea shipments, lifting Brent about 25% since early last month.
CSE closed down 0.38% (ASPI −81.43 pts to 21,542.23) as heightened selling amid Middle East tensions and rising global oil prices weighed on sentiment; turnover topped Rs.1.4bn and foreigners were net buyers of Rs.13.6m. Top negatives were CINS, BREW, CARS, SAMP and JKH; insurance led turnover (23%).
K Seeds Investments ranked L B Finance PLC (LFIN.N0000) as the top-performing finance company in Category 1 (asset base > Rs.100 billion) for Q1 2026/27, based on ten equally weighted KPIs calculated from interim Colombo Stock Exchange financials.
Asian stocks wavered as the yen surged and Iranian threats pushed oil higher, with Brent crude at $97.04 a barrel and risk sentiment dented. The U.S. 10-year yield was 4.788% and traders priced about a 60% chance of a 25bp Fed hike at the Sept. 16 meeting.
An IMF team will visit Sri Lanka from 10-23 Sept to conduct the combined Seventh review of the Extended Fund Facility programme and the 2026 Article IV Consultation. The IMF said it revised 2026 growth to about 3% and flagged a worsened external outlook from higher fuel import costs and weaker tourism.
India's GDP grew 7.8% in 1Q FY27 to INR 81.36 trillion, up from a revised 6.9% a year earlier. Growth was driven by 9.2% manufacturing expansion and an 11.9% rise in gross fixed capital formation (with construction and electricity rebounding); officials warned elevated oil prices (above $80/bbl) and West Asia disruptions could weigh on exports and demand.
Standard Chartered Sri Lanka hosted a webinar on the global and Sri Lanka economic outlook for 2H 2026, noting unexpected resilience but warning of geopolitical risks, stretched market valuations and potential energy-market spillovers. The panel assessed implications for inflation, currencies and energy markets and discussed Sri Lanka's policy path beyond its IMF EFF, including the possible role of a Stand-By Arrangement.