Business
CSE eases from record close as ASPI ends at 23,011 on May 11
ASPI fell 0.23% to 23,011.72 with banks leading turnover at Rs.3.04bn of the Rs.4.92bn total; Ceylinco Insurance and Commercial Bank weighed.
Business
1072 stories Business
Durga Infra raises Hatton Plantations stake to 12.5% with Rs. 262 mn share purchase
Durga Infra Ltd has lifted its Hatton Plantations PLC stake to 12.5% after buying 10.25 million shares at Rs. 25.60 per share on May 6, 2026.
Business
Karunathilaka: only 7.29% of consumers hit by new tariffs as generation costs jump Rs. 27bn
Energy Minister says 6.43m households using under 180 units are exempt; diesel costs jumped from Rs. 417m to Rs. 6,257m forcing the 18% PUCSL request.
Business
LAUGFS Power commissions 2MW mini hydro plant at Ginigathhena
The Polpitiya plant, developed through subsidiary PAMS Power, was synchronised with the national grid in late March and formally acknowledged on April 29.
Business
NDB disposes Rs. 2.77 billion Seylan Bank stake; Rayynor Silva's Phantom Investments hits maximum limit
NDB exited its 26.6 million-share holding in Seylan Bank at Rs. 104 per share, with media owner Rayynor Silva's Phantom Investments taking up the block.
Business
Private sector credit surges Rs. 258b in March; up 27.1% YoY to Rs. 10.7 trillion
Private sector borrowings jumped Rs. 258.4b month-on-month — second highest in 12 months — as Q1 outstanding credit hit Rs. 10.7 trillion.
Business
Rupee closes weaker at 322 to the dollar on Monday; bond yields broadly steady
Spot rupee slipped from 321.70 to 322.00 against the dollar — a 4% YTD slide from Dec 30, 2025. Rs. 250bn bond and Rs. 80bn bill auctions due this week.
Business
Sri Lanka records Rs. 545b primary surplus in January-February as budget swings to surplus
Primary surplus rose 66.1% YoY to Rs. 545.4 billion; overall budget turned to Rs. 169.7 billion surplus from a Rs. 86.6 billion deficit a year earlier.
Business
No decision yet on water tariff revision, June review will decide — Minister Ranasinghe
Water Supply Minister Susil Ranasinghe says biannual review on June 30 will determine any change to household water bills.
Business
Sri Lanka's Central Bank turns net dollar seller in April; reserves dip below US$7 billion
CBSL turned net dollar seller in April for the first time since June 2024, as reserves slipped back below US$7 billion to US$6.76 billion.
Business
Electricity tariffs rise from Monday; trade unions warn 60,000 businesses hit
PUCSL's revised tariffs take effect May 11. A 210-unit household bill rises Rs. 1,760; trade unions say 60,000 businesses face squeeze and demand reversal.
Business
CAA seals Homagama factory over substandard 6mm steel bars without SLS certification
Consumer Affairs Authority sealed a Homagama Industrial Zone factory producing 6mm ribbed steel bars without the mandatory SLS 375 certification.
Business
JAAF says Sri Lanka must learn from Vietnam's 19-FTA apparel playbook
Vietnam's apparel exports grew 250% to $45bn while Sri Lanka's grew just 58% to $5.4bn, JAAF says, calling for a ministry-level FTA negotiation architecture.
Business
Government Begins Rs. 220/kg Potato Buy-Back Drive in Nuwara Eliya
Trade Ministry buys local potatoes at Rs. 220/kg via Blackpool co-op, capped at 1,000 kg per farmer; onward sales through Lanka Sathosa.
Business
PUCSL approves electricity tariff hike of 8% to 18% from Monday
PUCSL's Q2-Q3 tariff revision takes effect Monday. Households below 180 units are exempt; others face 8% to 18% increases offset by a Rs.15bn subsidy.
Business
EU and UNIDO launch €7.56 mn net-zero roadmap for Sri Lanka apparel sector
EU-funded AICRSL initiative will develop a Net-Zero Roadmap for Sri Lanka's textile and apparel sector — 40.7% of merchandise exports and 31.3% EU-bound.
Business
Sri Lanka tourist arrivals top 900,000 for 2026 as April-May pace slows sharply
Sri Lanka logged 904,855 tourist arrivals between January 1 and May 6, but daily arrivals in April and May fell sharply against the strong January–March pace.
Business
Sri Lanka to Launch South Asia's First Private-Sector Sustainable Tourism Association in August
SusTour finalises August launch after May 6 meeting; Deputy Tourism Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe to officiate, Australia and SLTDA pledge support.
Business
Sri Lanka April remittances reach $767.9 mn; reserves at $6.76 bn
CBSL data for April 2026 shows remittances up year-on-year despite a monthly dip, gross official reserves at US$ 6.759 bn, and tourism arrivals slowing.
Business
COPF questions Central Bank over NDB fraud, says all audit layers failed
COPF told CBSL that NDB's internal audit, external auditors, board audit committee and CBSL's own banking supervision unit all missed the fraud.
Business
CSE closes above 23,000 for first time after volatile session
ASPI ended +0.29% at 23,063 after crossing 23,000 intraday and dipping back. S&P SL20 closed +0.43% at 6,319; turnover Rs.4bn.
Business
People's Leasing Rs.10bn listed debenture rated BBB+(lka) by Fitch
Fitch assigned an expected BBB+(lka) rating to People's Leasing's planned Rs.10bn 5-year subordinated listed debenture, two notches below the issuer rating.
Business
Port City to take investor roadshow to Dubai on June 11
CPCEC Chairman Harsha Amarasekara says Middle East roadshow will pitch Port City as a supplementary investment zone, with CHEC and SL missions co-hosting.
Business
Rupee selling rate hits Rs.325 across major banks as currency weakens
Commercial bank selling rates touched Rs.325 to the dollar on Friday, the weakest level since the rupee's recovery cycle began in March.