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.
A.P. Moller-Maersk Singapore MD Rene Piil Pedersen said Sri Lanka could leverage its strategic location to become a green bunkering hub if green/alternative marine fuels can be produced or sourced competitively, creating jobs and new skills.
The SEC has blocked completion of the mandatory offer for Industrial Asphalts (ASPH.N0000) by refusing to approve an executive director's share transfer until the company is removed from the CSE Watch List. Offerors had valid acceptances of 1,880,693,010 shares (50.16%), but completion is stalled due to IAC's non-submission of its FY2026 annual report.
The Cabinet approved a five-year $4.01 million Global Network Infrastructure Services contract for SriLankan Airlines to SITA Switzerland SARL, covering 1 Oct 2026-30 Sep 2031. The sole bid was accepted on the recommendation of the High-Level Standing Procurement Committee to secure passenger, ticketing, cargo, departure control and airport systems.
Vidullanka PLC subscribed to 1,000,000 ordinary shares in Vidul Biomass II Ltd for Rs.100 million as the first equity infusion toward its 6.6 MW (5 MW net) Medawachchiya Dendro Power Project. The project is estimated at $16.1m with total equity ~Rs.1,300m and commissioning targeted by mid-FY2027/28.
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.
Sri Lanka exhibited at the 74th Bangkok Gems and Jewellery Fair (8-12 Sep 2026) with a 72‑booth Sri Lankan Pavilion. The participation, coordinated by the Embassy in Bangkok, aims to deepen trade ties and expand export opportunities to Thailand, which takes over 50% of the sector's exports.
LAUGFS Supermarkets opened its 46th outlet at No. 78, K.B. Christy Perera Mawatha, Kotahena; the new 24-hour store features an inbuilt bakery and hot food options and expands the chain's retail network.
Sanasa Development Bank (SDB) marked its 29th anniversary, celebrating nearly three decades of financial inclusion and community development and launching initiatives including a beekeeping entrepreneur project in Badulla and a staff-led blood donation drive. The bank also honoured employees with 25-year service awards.
Siyapatha Finance PLC opened its 67th branch in Wennappuwa, Puttalam District, expanding its presence in the North Western Province. The new branch will offer leasing, fixed deposits, gold financing, business and personal loans, factoring and bill payment services.
Ceylinco Life launched the 20th Family Savari promotion, awarding trips for five winning families (20 people) to Beijing, 10 families (40 people) to Malaysia and 250 families (1,000 people) a day at Pearl Bay. Both new and existing Ceylinco Life policyholders are eligible to participate.
Ceylinco Life held its Mid-Year Awards 2026 at DoubleTree by Hilton Weerawila, honouring 124 top-performing sales personnel across multiple categories with prizes including cash, trophies and foreign tours; 230 participants attended. The company was also ranked Sri Lanka's most valuable insurance brand in 2026.
Fanta participated in the Nallur Kandaswamy Temple Festival in Jaffna, offering refreshments and engaging with devotees and the wider community. The activity aimed to connect the brand with festival-goers and celebrate local faith and culture.
Michael Kremer, Nobel laureate, has been appointed World Bank Group Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for Development Economics, effective October 1, 2026. He will lead the Bank's research, data and analytical agenda, drawing on experience in randomized trials, vaccines and development innovation.
Vietjet signed a Repair-by-the-Hour MRO contract and a digital aviation/AI & cybersecurity MoU with Thales, and a Letter of Intent with CFM International to assess local LEAP engine MRO capabilities, supporting its fleet expansion and routes including Colombo-Ho Chi Minh City.
EMBRAX Multiversity launched a three-day Harvard-style executive leadership programme in Colombo (15-17 Sept 2026) featuring Harvard Business School Professor Elie Ofek to train executives on AI, innovation and marketing leadership using the Harvard Case Method.
HNB PLC enabled online payments to all government institutions on LankaPay's Online Payment Platform via its TxB platform from 1 Sep 2026, allowing HNB TxB clients (SME to corporates) to settle in real time to 306 government billers through a single portal, replacing manual submissions.
Colombo Stock Exchange received the 'Great Place to Work' certification for the fifth consecutive year, awarded after a company-wide anonymous survey assessing workplace culture across credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie. The CSE noted 57% of its workforce are early-career professionals and highlighted its diversity and inclusion commitments.
EY GDS leader Bikram Dasgupta urges Sri Lankan youth to build influence by focusing on applied AI, quantum readiness and biotech-combining technology fluency, domain expertise and responsible design to solve local problems and scale solutions, supported by the National AI Strategy and nascent quantum initiatives.
Vision Care will serve as Official Eyewear Partner for Colombo Fashion Week Couture + Trousseau 2026, extending its partnership to 13 consecutive years; the event runs 17-19 September. Vision Care operates over 80 branches island-wide providing vision, hearing and eyewear solutions.
Colombo Stock Exchange closed down as the ASPI fell 0.58% to 21,139.31, with market turnover at 1.63 billion rupees. Food, Beverage & Tobacco led turnover at 782.3 million rupees; notable movers included Namunukula, Pan Asia Bank and Ceylon Cold Stores (up) and John Keells, Melstacorp, RIL Property and Cargills (down); Hunas Holdings entered a partnership with Tokyo-based CCH Inc for its real estate and hospitality businesses effective Sept 14.
DFCC Bank and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment signed an MoU to launch the Ethera Diriya Housing Loan Scheme offering eligible migrant workers housing loans of up to Rs. 10 million with up to 10-year repayment and an SLBFE-facilitated interest reimbursement subsidy.
Lanka Aluminium Industries PLC opened its 10th fully owned islandwide retail outlet in Nagoda, Kalutara. The outlet stocks aluminium extrusions and door/window accessories and offers technical services (shop drawings, wind-load calculations); the company says more outlets will be rolled out.
Technocity and Lenovo hosted the Technocity | Lenovo Premier League 2026, a corporate cricket tournament that brought together 18 Sri Lankan IT companies; champions won Rs 400,000 and runners‑up Rs 200,000. Technocity also announced a fully sponsored one‑day team‑building trip to Kitulgala for all participants.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka hosted its inaugural Reserve Management Conference on 10-11 September 2026 in Colombo, convening about 50 speakers from central banks and multilateral institutions. Discussions focused on building foreign reserve buffers, geopolitical fragmentation, the role of digital/tokenised assets and AI in reserves, US dollar dominance and gold as an alternative asset.
Mahindra & Mahindra and Ideal Motors unveiled the All-New Bolero MaXX Pik-Up in Colombo, offering 1.5t and 1.7t payload variants, factory-fitted AC and safety features, and a 3-year/100,000 km manufacturer warranty; the range targets commercial users and will be sold via Ideal Motors' Sri Lanka network.
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.
Siyapatha Finance PLC was named among Sri Lanka's Top 100 Most Valuable Brands in Brand Finance Sri Lanka 100 (2026), entering the list with a brand value of Rs. 1.4 billion and a BBB brand strength rating, and was ranked among the Top 10 in Financial Services (non-banking finance).
HNB PLC has extended its partnership with John Keells CG Auto to offer vehicle leasing for BYD and Denza customers, providing special leasing rates and flexible residual-value options of up to seven-year facilities. Customers also receive a waived first-year HNB credit card fee and discounted vehicle insurance.
Seylan Bank PLC opened its 295th 'Pahasara' library at Giri/Gemunu Central College, Pannala on 3 July 2026, donating books, a laptop and a smart board and running financial literacy and sustainability activities. The programme is part of the bank's ESG initiative as it nears a 300-library target.
Siyapatha Finance PLC opened its 67th branch in Wennappuwa (Puttalam District). Siyapatha, the largest fully owned subsidiary of Sampath Bank PLC (SAMP.N0000), will offer leasing, deposits, gold financing, business and personal loans and bill-payment services and holds a Fitch 'A(lka)' Stable rating.