News & market updates

Keells supermarkets (John Keells Group) will accept Dialog Pay at its 150 stores nationwide, enabling scan-and-pay transactions and offering complimentary Dialog data rewards on eligible payments.

The Ceylon Chamber hosted a B2B session (8–10 July 2026) for a 31-member FIEO Indian export delegation to connect Indian SMEs (pharmaceuticals, engineering, apparel, food, infrastructure) with Sri Lankan companies to explore sourcing, market expansion and commercial partnerships.

TWC Capital advised WindForce PLC on an IFC commitment of up to $18m for Sri Lanka's first utility-scale 100 MW solar project, and advised New Anthoney's Farms on a separate $10m IFC financing, totalling up to $28m in development finance.

ADB lowers developing Asia and Pacific growth to 4.9% for 2026 (from 5.5% in 2025), a 0.2 percentage point downgrade from April due to prolonged energy-market disruptions. It raises regional inflation to 4.3% for this year and warns of risks from tighter financial conditions, supply-chain strains and higher fertilizer/commodity costs.

Prosoft Research and Insights says consumer sentiment dipped across the first half of 2026 but rose to 79 in June from 75 in May. Despite fluctuations and rising inflation, consumer purchase behaviour remained broadly stable year‑on‑year, warranting monitoring into H2 2026.

A 31-member FIEO-led Indian business delegation visited Sri Lanka (8–10 July 2026) to explore trade and B2B partnerships across pharmaceuticals, engineering, apparel, food/agriculture and infrastructure. Bilateral merchandise trade reached about $7.2bn in 2025–26 and Sri Lanka's exports to India rose nearly 160% over five years.

CSE ended an eight-session slide as the ASPI rose 0.31% to 21,765.56 and the S&P SL20 gained 0.25% to 6,081.43. Turnover topped Rs.2bn with foreign net outflows of Rs.673mn; top contributors included Ceylon Cold Stores, Haycarb, John Keells and RIL, while banks (Commercial Bank, Sampath) led turnover.

A 31-member delegation led by India's FIEO visited Sri Lanka (July 8–10) to explore new bilateral trade and investment opportunities and formally exchanged an MoU with the National Chamber of Exporters to boost institutional cooperation. Delegates covered pharmaceuticals, engineering, apparel, food/agriculture and infrastructure.

The Paddy Marketing Board will start buying Yala paddy from July 13 at Rs120/kg for Nadu, Rs130/kg for Samba and Rs140/kg for Keeri Samba. Purchases begin in Ampara and Ruhuna (and parts of Mullaitivu and Trincomalee) with wider operations from July 20; the government allocated Rs6bn to the PMB and Rs10bn via concessional state-bank loans to help millers and 143 warehouses will be used.

Colombo market fell for an eighth session as ASPI dropped 0.60% (130.78 pts) to 21,697.72 amid renewed Middle East tensions, with turnover over Rs.1.4bn and foreign net outflow of Rs.91.7m. Declines were led by Commercial Bank, Melstacorp, Hayleys and John Keells, while capital goods, food & beverage and banking drove turnover.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed up on Friday as the ASPI rose 0.31% (67.84 pts) to 21,765.56, ending a week-long losing streak; turnover was 2 billion rupees. Top positive contributors were Ceylon Cold Stores, Haycarb and Dialog Axiata.

Parliament approved a new four-tier National Tariff Policy (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%) and two export orders covering 8,225 HS codes, replacing the prior 0/15/20% bands. The government also set a phased CESS removal through 2029 to lower intermediate and consumer import costs and support exports.

Sri Lanka will begin paddy procurement for the 2026 Yala season from July 15, with the Treasury allocating Rs6 billion and state banks providing Rs10 billion in Odapana loans. The Paddy Marketing Board holds about 120,000 mt, with tenders to release ~60,000 mt and 20,000 mt supplied to Sathosa.

DarazMall's opening of Daraz Sri Lanka's 7.7 Super Savings Sale drove nearly 10x sales growth for official brand stores; participating brands saw ~8x orders, store visits rose 5x and average order value increased threefold.

Maliban renewed its title sponsorship of the S. Thomas' College Hockey Programme for another year, continuing support after a strong 2025 season and backing youth development and school hockey fixtures.

Court ruled that Baby Cheramy has exclusive ownership of its brand and intellectual property, finding the similar 'Baby Sherami' imitation violates its rights and affirming protection against unauthorised use.

Sunshine Holdings (SUN.N0000) held its SUN Awards 2026 and reported consolidated FY26 revenue of Rs. 65.9 billion, up 11.2% YoY. The event presented 169 awards and 119 long-service recognitions across the Group's healthcare, consumer goods and agribusiness businesses.

Baby Cheramy won a court ruling affirming its exclusive ownership of the Baby Cheramy brand and intellectual property, finding that imitators such as 'Baby Sherami' violate its rights.

The National Chamber of Exporters opened applications for the 34th NCE Export Awards, closing Sept 30, 2026, with the awards ceremony on Dec 11 at Shangri‑La Colombo. Ex-Pack Corrugated Cartons PLC is the main sponsor and Dialog Enterprise is the event's digital technology partner.

Shea Wickramasingha was appointed Chairperson of CBL Group effective 6 July 2026 and will continue to serve as Group Managing Director. She succeeds the late Ramya Sanath Amaraweera Wickramasingha, maintaining the founding family's leadership of the food-manufacturing group.

Exhibitor registration for Sri Lanka Expo 2027 is open until 31 July 2026. The expo runs 14–17 Jan 2027 at BMICH with 650 booths across 25 sectors and offers opportunities to meet over 1,500 global buyers.

Helabhoomi Products' Business Manager Saliya Kulasekara met Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe at a business forum in Port City Colombo; Helabhoomi exports 100% organic Sri Lankan products to Western Europe.

The government has revoked the Gazette restriction banning the use of rice and paddy in animal feed, restoring permission for their processing, purchase, sale, transport, storage and distribution for feed production with effect after 24 June.

Frontier Research said easing Eurozone inflation and lower oil prices could narrow Sri Lanka's fuel import bill, ease inflationary pressures and reduce depreciation pressure on the rupee. It notes Eurozone headline inflation fell to 2.8% in June and markets expect the ECB to keep rates on hold, though risks from the Middle East and food prices remain.

Nestlé Lanka partnered with the Central Environmental Authority and the Ministry of Education to run an All Island Short Video Competition on responsible waste management, with winners awarded at an event on 25 June 2026.

CBL Group has appointed Group Managing Director Sheamalee (Shea) Wickramasingha as Chairman effective 6 July 2026; she will continue to serve as Group Managing Director.

Maliban was ranked No. 1 Most Loved Product Brand and No. 1 in Packaged Foods (Ready-to-Eat) in the LMD Readers' Choice Most Loved Brands 2026, marking its third consecutive year as Sri Lanka's Most Loved Packaged Food (Ready-to-Eat) Brand.

The Sri Lanka Export Development Board has kept online exhibitor registration for Sri Lanka Expo 2027 open until 31 July 2026. The expo will run 14–17 January 2027 at BMICH with 650 booths and opportunities to meet over 1,500 global buyers across 25 sectors.

Colombo market opened deep in the red: ASPI fell 0.44% (98.08 pts) to 22,080.65 and the S&P SL20 dropped 0.44% as foreign investors were net sellers of Rs. 315.8m. Main negatives included Ceylinco, HNB, RIL and Central Finance; utilities (led by Windforce), capital goods and banking led turnover.

UK Trade Envoy Lord Hannett visited The Body Shop's One Galle Face Mall store in Colombo during a 17-19 June mission to strengthen trade ties and discuss export opportunities under the UK's DCTS; he toured the store and its Return, Recycle, Repeat recycling initiative.