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.
World Bank approved $110 million to repair and reconstruct 600 km of roads damaged by Cyclone Ditwah, prioritizing climate-resilient standards to restore access to markets, schools and health facilities. The financing extends the Inclusive Connectivity and Development Project by three years, bringing total World Bank transport investment under the operation to $610 million and expected to benefit over 830,000 people.
Sanctus Properties (Pvt) Ltd has commenced construction of Lume Residences, an eleven-unit boutique-style gated development in Kandana. Each home is planned as fully furnished with smartphone-integrated smart-home controls and rooftop solar plus individual BESS designed to supply 50-80% of energy; the project has UDA and Kandana Urban Council approvals.
Construction ActivityRenewable Energy
Daily FT·Sep 30, 2026·Major contract or orderPositive
The Cabinet awarded a Rs. 2.89 billion contract to Maga Engineering Ltd for the third phase of the Baseline Road Extension to upgrade a 0.86 km section of Colombo-Horana Road to six lanes with an underpass, signal-controlled intersections, pedestrian facilities and drainage improvements. Seven bids were received under National Competitive Bidding and Maga submitted the lowest substantially responsive bid; the contract value excludes VAT.
Prof. Samitha Hettige argues that APEC, BRICS and China's Belt and Road Initiative offer opportunities for Sri Lanka, noting China's 2026 APEC presidency, transport links and historical Sino‑Sri ties, and urging cooperation with China and India on debt repayment and development from 2028.
INSEE Lanka hosted the INSEE Supplier Excellence Awards 2026 in Negombo, presenting 25 supplier awards and six employee awards across production, administration, logistics, transportation and material handling. Special awards recognised innovation, safety and sustainability and the event emphasised supply-chain resilience.
Groundworth Group launched 'Urban One', a premium 17-plot residential land development in Pittugala, Malabe, with prices starting at LKR 1.85 million per perch. The project markets close access to Outer Circular Expressway interchanges, universities, healthcare and retail and is open for site visits.
HayWind One (the wind arm of Hayleys Fentons) has begun turbine tower erection at the 50MW Mannar Wind Farm, with the first two 5MW turbines fully erected. The project is expected to deliver about 207 million kWh/year and targets commissioning and grid energisation by December 2026.
Prime and Melwa's Prime Marina 2 at Port City Colombo is a new marina-front development offering residences, corporate suites and retail facing the marina; units are advertised from Rs. 59 million onwards.
Construction Activity
Ada Derana·Sep 26, 2026·Capacity or capex·HAYLPositive
Hayleys Engineering has signed the project agreement to construct Hayleys Retail's first supermarket in Colombo 10 using a purpose-built steel structure; Hayleys Engineering will handle design, steel fabrication, civil construction and erection as the initial rollout of Hayleys' supermarket network.
Prime Marina 2, a marina-front development by Prime and Melwa at the entrance to Port City Colombo, is being marketed with residences, corporate suites and retail spaces priced from LKR 59M onwards.
Cabinet approved a Rs.22.2 billion contract to China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co (US$40.84m + Rs8.5bn) to build a 92,000-cubic-metre aviation fuel storage complex at Muthurajawela, a pipeline to Bandaranaike Airport and upgrades to the existing terminal.
Construction Activity
Daily FT·Sep 23, 2026·Major contract or order·VLLPositive
Vidullanka PLC-led consortium emerged as the lowest-cost bidder (approx. Rs. 5 billion) for the construction of a 132 kV transmission line under a JICA-funded programme; the contract award remains subject to technical evaluations and formal issuance of the Letter of Award.
Cabinet approved awarding three rural road renovation contracts under the Rural Ways Program to M/s RR Construction Ltd totalling Rs.2.12 billion (exclusive of VAT): Kalutara Rs.659.05m, Kilinochchi Rs.801.74m and Mullaitivu Rs.659.12m. Seventeen bids were received and the High-Level Procurement Committee recommended RR Construction as the lowest substantially responsive bidder.
Construction Activity
Ada Derana·Sep 22, 2026·Major contract or order·VLLPositive
Vidullanka PLC, in a consortium with India's Skipper Limited, emerged as the lowest bidder for a JICA-funded LKR 5.0 billion 132 kV transmission line project in Sri Lanka. The 18-month contract would see Vidullanka lead local execution and project management, marking its entry into high-voltage transmission construction pending technical clearance and an LOA.
Construction ActivityRenewable Energy
EconomyNext·Sep 22, 2026·Major contract or order·VLLPositive
Vidullanka PLC said a consortium with India's Skipper emerged as the lowest bidder for a Rs5.0 billion 132 kV transmission line project under the JICA-funded network development programme. Final award is subject to technical evaluation and issuance of a Letter of Award; implementation is estimated at 18 months with Vidullanka to handle local execution.
A high-level meeting led by the Ports and Civil Aviation Ministry with the EDB on 15 Sep 2026 discussed implementing the National Export Development Plan 2026-2030 to boost exports to $36 billion by 2030 by strengthening ports and logistics. Discussions focused on enhancing port and logistics infrastructure and services, trade facilitation, connectivity, and inter-agency coordination for timely implementation.
The Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation and the Export Development Board held a high-level meeting on 15 Sep 2026 to discuss implementing the NEDP 2026-2030, focusing on strengthening ports and logistics to raise exports to US$36 billion by 2030 and improve trade facilitation and connectivity.
India has extended financial assistance for the Nagapattinam-Kankesanthurai passenger ferry for a third consecutive year, providing viability gap funding of about Rs.300 million annually to sustain operations. India will also fund rehabilitation of Kankesanthurai Harbour under a $65m grant and explore additional routes; the ferry moved ~52,000 passengers since August 2024.
The Cabinet approved 39 hospital infrastructure projects for implementation from 2027, incorporating them into the 2027-2031 Public Investment Program. It also unveiled the 'Arogya' primary-care rollout with NIC-linked e-health records (Rs.1,500m allocated in 2026) and plans to train and recruit public health nursing officers.
Construction ActivityHealthcare & PharmaIT & Digital
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake launched four hospital construction projects worth Rs.7.1bn (Rs.12bn including equipment). Projects include a Rs.4.19bn JICA‑funded cardiology unit in Trincomalee, a Rs.600m India‑funded A&E unit in Mannar, a Rs.600m ward in Mullaitivu and a >Rs.3bn cardiology unit at Anuradhapura.
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.
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 Cabinet approved designating Prime Melva Ltd as a 'primary business of strategic importance' under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, enabling exemptions/incentives for its planned Rs.56 billion waterfront mixed‑use project. The proposal cites $112.2m and Rs.15.9b of investment and about 800 jobs; details on selection criteria and tax concessions will be provided next week.
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.
Construction ActivityRenewable Energy
Ada Derana·Sep 16, 2026·Promotional / marketing·DFCCPositive
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.
The Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka will hold the NEC 2026 on 24 September 2026 at Cinnamon Grand Colombo to present four policy papers, on engineering education, energy transition and power-sector reform, transport development and building fire safety, and seek stakeholder action.
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.