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.
Cathay Pacific has cancelled its Middle East passenger services to Dubai and Riyadh through January 31, 2027. Impacted passengers are eligible to rebook, reroute or request a full refund and the airline said it will continue to monitor the situation.
Tourism
EconomyNext·Sep 29, 2026·Regulatory or legal·NDBNegative
NDB Bank said Deloitte's forensic review found the fraud totaled Rs13,639,664,684, Rs60m higher than its June interim report and that the incremental Rs60m will be recognized under applicable accounting standards. The bank said no customer has lost funds, remains well capitalized and is pursuing legal and recovery actions while strengthening governance.
Ada Derana·Sep 29, 2026·Regulatory or legal·NDBNegative
National Development Bank PLC said Deloitte's independent forensic review confirmed the fraud's total impact at LKR 13,639,664,684 (LKR 13.64bn), LKR 60m higher than its interim figure; the bank says customer balances are intact and has engaged foreign experts to trace stolen assets.
WindForce PLC withdrew its initial listing application for a proposed green bond (up to 40 million bonds to raise Rs 4 billion) due to adverse market conditions. Fitch withdrew the 'A(lka)' rating after the issuance was postponed amid rising market interest rates.
Interest Rates
EconomyNext·Sep 29, 2026·Major contract or order·HPWRPositive
Resus Energy PLC said two subsidiaries have submitted bids within the qualifying price range to install 16 MW (64 MWh) of battery energy storage systems under a government tender; estimated equity needed is Rs 650-800 million and awards are pending.
Oil prices rose for a second session, with Brent at $106.77/barrel (up $1.49, +1.4%) and US WTI at $93.94 (up $1.34, +1.5%), driven by lingering Middle East supply disruption concerns tied to the US‑Iran standoff despite signs of higher Gulf exports.
Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka & Finance PLC (MBSL) plans to raise up to Rs.1 billion via five-year unsecured subordinated debentures: an initial 5 million units at Rs.100 each (Rs.500m) with an option to issue a further 5 million if oversubscribed. The Central Bank has approved the issue; interest rate, dates and use of proceeds were not disclosed.
Sri Lanka's secondary government bond market turned bearish with yields rising across maturities, for example the 15.10.34 at 12.00% and the 15.06.35 at 12.15%, as selling intensified ahead of the central bank policy decision. Bloomberg expects the CBSL to hold the policy rate at 8.75% on Sept 30 amid rising inflation from higher food and fuel and mixed FX trends.
Sri Lanka's rupee was quoted at 330.90/331.10 to the US dollar on Tuesday, slightly weaker than the prior day, while government bond yields opened broadly steady with only small moves across maturities. An 80,000 million rupee Treasury bill auction is scheduled for Sept 30.
The Colombo bourse fell to a six-month low as the ASPI closed down 0.44% at 20,943.79 and turnover hit a year low of Rs. 596 million; foreign investors were net buyers of Rs. 7.9 million. Top negative contributors included CARS, DIAL, COMB, CINS and SEMB.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said a property tax proposed under the IMF program has been deferred and will not be included in the 2027 Budget, arguing homes built from already-taxed savings should not be taxed again.
Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC plans to raise up to Rs. 4 billion via a five-year Basel III-compliant Tier 2 debenture issue (up to 40 million Rs.100 debentures). The bank also plans a separate senior debenture opening 1 Oct. to raise up to Rs. 5 billion, together up to Rs. 9 billion.
Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Malaysia invited Malaysian corporates at a 22 Sept Kuala Lumpur 'Business Beyond Borders' event to invest and partner across sectors, presenting BOI 'Ready to Invest' projects. He cited Sri Lanka's Fitch upgrade to 'B' and promoted SRI LANKA EXPO 2027.
Blink International has acquired Wrist Lab to create a scalable multi-brand watch retail platform in Sri Lanka, combining Wrist Lab's retail footprint with Blink's distribution and after-sales network. Blink will focus on brand building and distribution (Casio, G-Shock, Edifice) while Wrist Lab serves as the consumer-facing retail destination.
Daily FT·Sep 29, 2026·Management or board change·HARIPositive
Harischandra Mills PLC appointed Revantha Devasurendra to its Board as a Non-Executive, Non-Independent Director. Devasurendra is an experienced investor and board member with roles at Dankotuwa Porcelain and Colombo City Holdings and experience across food service, hospitality and technology.
Ceyline Group launched 'Roots for the Future', a national reforestation initiative aiming to plant and nurture 40,000 native trees, beginning with a Phase 1 baseline of 4,000 saplings. The group is funding the pilot, providing the OXY App digital verification platform, and has formed a tri-party framework with the Ministry of Education and the Department of Forest Conservation.
Emirates launched a multi-market campaign timed to Dubai's winter events, offering travellers who book eligible return tickets complimentary attraction passes worth AED 535 (Atlantis Aquaventure, Lost World Aquarium and Dubai City Sightseeing) plus unlimited free date changes; tickets must be purchased 21 Sep-11 Oct 2026 for travel 24 Sep-13 Dec 2026. The offer also includes My Emirates Pass discounts and Skywards benefits.
Colombo Stock Exchange closed lower as the ASPI fell 0.60% (125.97 points) to 20,817.82 and the S&P SL20 dipped 0.20% to 5,908.66 amid subdued sentiment; market turnover was Rs 1.01bn. Top gainers included Lion Brewery, Carson Cumberbatch and Ambeon; losers included Overseas Realty, Singer, Dialog and Commercial Bank.
Ada Derana·Sep 29, 2026·Promotional / marketing·JKHPositive
Keells marks 35 years, surpassing 150 stores and 2.9 million Nexus members; the Keells supermarket business highlights direct sourcing from over 4,000 farmers, a workforce of 6,500+ and multiple community and employee programs.
Consumer Staples (FMCG)
Ada Derana·Sep 29, 2026·Promotional / marketing·JKHPositive
John Keells CG Auto and BYD opened BYD's 11th showroom in Negombo on 11 September, expanding BYD's retail and service presence in Sri Lanka and strengthening Keells' NEV support network. Keells has deployed 43 chargers and a partnership adds 73 more, bringing the public network to 116 chargers nationwide.
Toyota Lanka launched the Toyota LiteAce Truck and LiteAce Panel Van in Sri Lanka, 1.5-litre petrol commercial vehicles with payloads of more than one ton. The Truck is an open cargo/manual model and the Panel Van is an enclosed/automatic model; both include ABS, dual SRS airbags, power steering and after-sales support.
Classic Travel was named Sri Lanka's Leading Travel Company 2026 and Classic Destinations was named Sri Lanka's Leading Destination Management Company 2026 at the World Travel Awards 2026. The wins mark Classic Travel's third consecutive year and Classic Destinations' second consecutive year receiving these national honours.
Tourism
Ada Derana·Sep 29, 2026·Promotional / marketing·DFCCPositive
DFCC Aloka (DFCC Bank PLC) ran two programmes giving salon owners and beauty professionals training in financial literacy, tax awareness and business planning, including sessions on cashflow, taxation, investment and the DFCC Aloka Pragathi Loan Scheme.
Capital One will open Donatello on 25 September 2026, a Bespoke Private Wealth Management lounge for HNW and UHNW clients in Sri Lanka offering customised investment strategies, wealth and estate planning, investment advisory and concierge services in an art-focused setting.
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce ran business continuity management workshops to strengthen disaster preparedness across Sri Lanka's private sector, supporting the National Disaster Management Plan 2023-2030. The two-day sessions used an ISO 22301:2019-based curriculum developed under the World Food Programme's Disaster and Climate Resilience Project.
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce completed a two-day Business Continuity Management workshop via its Centre for SMEs to help private-sector firms prepare contingency plans under the National Disaster Management Plan 2023-2030. The ISO 22301:2019-based training aims to strengthen organisational resilience and recovery of critical operations.