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.
Hunas Holdings PLC has entered a partnership with Japanese investor Yoshimichi Watanabe to back the group's planned expansion in hospitality and real estate. The deal brings foreign capital and international experience as Hunas evaluates a series of developments, with further announcements expected.
Emirates carried over 8.6 million passengers between July and August and says it enters the winter season with strong booking momentum. The airline has retrofitted 104 aircraft, offers Premium Economy on 137 aircraft, has taken 18 deliveries this year and expects six more A350s before year-end.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board, with the Sri Lanka High Commission in the Maldives and private partners, ran a Sri Lanka Country Pavilion at Food and Hospitality Asia Maldives (FHAM) 7-9 Sept, showcasing 10 SMEs under 'Creative Sri Lanka 2030' to promote giftware and lifestyle exports to the Maldivian hospitality market. The initiative targets resort buyers with high-value niche products such as home décor, spa items and artisanal souvenirs.
SAJ Associates is expanding its product range to 30 items through the growing Lakarcade retail network, including a new souvenir shop at a Colombo hotel to target rising tourist arrivals. The expansion aims to boost product availability for tourists and supports over 500 female farmers supplying specialised ingredients.
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.
Hunas Holdings (HUNA.N0000) said it has entered a partnership with Tokyo-based CCH Inc and investor Yoshimichi Watanabe, effective Sept 14, to support expansion of its real estate and hospitality businesses and drive long-term growth.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka said the Manufacturing PMI was 53 in August (down from 55.6 in July) while the Services PMI rose to 65.6, showing expansion in both sectors. Manufacturing moderation was led by textiles and apparel, services growth was driven by transport, wholesale & retail and professional services; employment rose and suppliers' delivery times lengthened, with the outlook supported by expected higher tourist arrivals.
Sri Lanka recorded 1,609,759 tourist arrivals from Jan 1-Sept 14, 2026, surpassing 1.6 million. India was the top source with 408,024 arrivals YTD and 22,541 in Sept 1-14 (30% share), followed by the UK and China.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board led a Sri Lanka Country Pavilion at FHAM Maldives (7-9 Sept 2026) showcasing 10 SMEs under Creative Sri Lanka 2030 to promote giftware and lifestyle exports to the Maldivian hospitality market. Exhibitors aimed to secure procurement links with luxury resorts, boutique hotels and souvenir retailers to grow niche, high-value exports.
Ceylon Hotels Corporation PLC's Belihuloya Rest House has reopened as EKHO Belihuloya, becoming the sixth hotel in the EKHO Hotels & Resorts portfolio. The property was refurbished to preserve its heritage character while upgrading guestrooms to attract longer stays and modern travellers.
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%.
Sri Lanka's GDP grew 4.2% year-on-year in Q2 2026 to Rs. 3,029,816 million (2015 prices), with current-price GDP up 11.3% to Rs. 8,254,176 million. Growth was led by Industry (+7.3%) and Services (+2.7%), including construction (+13.9%) and IT consultancy (+10%), while agriculture fell 2.3% and tourism remained subdued.
FitsAir has temporarily suspended its daily Dubai flights from 6 September and expects to resume by November 2026 subject to regional developments. The carrier linked the suspension to the evolving situation in the Middle East and weaker demand among Middle Eastern carriers (IATA Jul 2026: demand -9.5% YoY).
Emirates and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau signed a renewed MoU to jointly promote inbound tourism to Sri Lanka. The partnership aims to boost arrivals as the country recorded over 2.3 million international tourists in 2025, a 15.1% year‑on‑year increase.
Sri Lanka showcased its tourism offerings at the Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai, with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau leading a national pavilion that brought around 60 Sri Lankan travel and tour agents to meet Middle Eastern and international buyers. The pavilion highlighted beaches, wildlife, wellness, cultural and adventure products as Sri Lanka seeks to strengthen ties with the Middle East market.
Port City Colombo aims to turn rising arrivals into longer, higher‑spend visits; Sri Lanka logged about 2.36 million international arrivals in 2025 (≈+15% y/y) while tourism earnings rose to about $3.2bn. The project has drawn strong interest, with 200+ firms applying and over 175 approved to operate.
Sri Lanka and Thailand signed a MoU and MoA to open an initial 10,000 employment opportunities for Sri Lankan workers in Thailand under a regulated framework protecting workers’ rights. The agreements target sectors including information technology, tourism, hospitality and skilled technical roles.
Port City Colombo is being developed to convert rising visitor numbers into longer, higher‑spend stays; Sri Lanka recorded about 2.36 million arrivals in 2025 and tourism earnings of roughly $3.2bn. The mixed‑use project (marina, downtown duty‑free, public beach, schools and a planned convention centre) is designed to boost business‑leisure retention and attract companies and talent.
Citrus Leisure PLC has appointed Nirekshe Perera as Group Chief Executive Officer, Designate effective 1 September 2026; current CEO Chandana Talwatte will leave on 11 November 2026 and Perera will assume the Group CEO role on 12 November 2026 to lead the next growth phase.
Classic Destinations hosted about 30 Punjab Travel Agents Association delegates for a Sri Lanka familiarization programme, including an AGM and a networking/destination presentation on 8 Sept at Nuga Gama. The visit aimed to showcase Sri Lankan tourism products and build future partnerships with local hospitality and industry stakeholders.
ALIF-SL 2026, Sri Lanka's Afro-Latin dance festival, will run 25-27 Sept at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo, bringing 30+ international artists and 175-200 participants from 20+ countries and headlined by Italy's Tropical Gem. The event includes the ALIF Cup Sri Lanka Open and is aimed at boosting inbound tourism to Colombo.
Emirates will deploy a retrofitted A380 featuring its Premium Economy cabin on daily Dubai-Paris services (EK071/EK072) from 25 October 2026. Premium Economy has maintained healthy load factors on Lyon and Nice routes, with about one in ten passengers choosing the cabin.
City of Dreams Sri Lanka's Spice 8 has introduced a 24-hour Hot Pot dining experience on the gaming floor, offering premium meats, seafood and vegetables for interactive, table-side cooking aimed at both local and Chinese guests.
Sri Lanka and Oman held talks to strengthen civil aviation cooperation, focusing on operation and development of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport and possible resumption/expansion of direct flights to boost tourism and trade.
FitsAir will temporarily suspend Colombo-Dubai flight services from 6 September 2026 and expects to resume by November 2026, subject to developments in the Middle East. The airline said the pause is due to the evolving global situation and apologized for inconvenience to passengers.
Cabinet approved a Rs.173.86 million consultancy contract to support the $30 million ADB-funded Sustainable Tourism Sector Development Program to upgrade facilities and infrastructure in Dambulla-Sigiriya and Trincomalee. Resources Development Consultants Ltd., with Novel Interdisciplinary Consulting Enterprise Ltd., was awarded the contract to provide planning and implementation support.
Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka slipped 1.1% YoY in the first six days of September 2026 to 31,885, bringing the year-to-date total to 1,567,007, down 2% from a year earlier. India remained the largest source market, accounting for 9,894 arrivals (31%) in that period.
Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath said Sri Lanka is negotiating a new bilateral visa arrangement with Thailand after Thailand decided to end the 60-day visa-free entry for Sri Lankans from 15 September 2026. Talks aim to address Thai security concerns, including alleged illegal activity, while facilitating legitimate travel; a draft is being discussed ahead of Herath's visit on 14 September.