Business
Hemas Holdings Q1 Profit Rises 17.6% to Rs.3.03bn on Healthcare, Consumer Growth
Hemas Holdings' net profit rose 17.6% to Rs.3.03bn in the March 2026 quarter on healthcare and consumer growth; the board declared a Rs.0.75 final dividend.
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Business
Oil Slides to Two-Week Low as US-Iran Peace Deal Appears Closer
Brent crude fell 4.5% to $98.83 as US-Iran peace deal optimism eases Hormuz pressure, though analysts warn oil flows could take months to normalise.
Business
Rupee firms further on Monday as BMI forecasts Rs.320 rebound by end-2026
Bank dollar selling rates fell as low as Rs.330 on Monday, while BMI (Fitch Solutions) forecast a rupee recovery to Rs.320 against the dollar by end-2026.
Business
Sri Lanka services exports fall 6.13% in April as financial services surge 119%
Sri Lanka's services exports fell 6.13% to USD 317.16 million in April, dragged by transport and construction, even as financial services jumped 119%.
Business
Sri Lanka exports reach $5.78 billion in first four months of 2026
Sri Lanka's exports rose 4.3% to $5.78 billion in January–April, the EDB says, as electronics and food gains offset falling apparel and tea earnings.
Business
Sri Lanka merchandise exports rise 9.87% to $1.06bn in April 2026 as China surges
Sri Lanka's merchandise exports grew 9.87% year-on-year to $1.06 billion in April 2026, with China up 24% and India overtaking the UK year-to-date.
Business
Sri Lanka nears one million tourist arrivals for 2026 with 990,032 so far
Sri Lanka has logged 990,032 tourist arrivals in 2026, nearing the one-million mark, with 113,755 visitors in the first 24 days of May, SLTDA data shows.
Business
Vehicle importers warn of price hikes after Central Bank cuts leasing limits
Vehicle importers warn prices will rise after the Central Bank cut loan-to-value caps, urging relief for vehicles already imported or under open LCs.
Business
Peradeniya economist Athukorala flags suspected policy leak behind May 15 vehicle import spike
Prof Wasantha Athukorala says the 5x surge to USD 23.71 million in LCs opened on May 15 cannot be explained by normal market behaviour alone.
Business
Bimal expects dollar to fall further as USD 700M IMF disbursement nears
Minister Bimal Ratnayake says the dollar has eased from above Rs. 340 to around Rs. 334 and a USD 700 million IMF disbursement will strengthen reserves.
Business
CBSL caps gold-backed loans at 70% of collateral value from May 25
Central Bank's Directions No. 02 of 2026 limit credit secured by gold — including pawning and gold loans — to 70% of collateral value from May 25.
Business
CBSL tightens vehicle financing again — commercial vehicles to 60%, cars to 40% LTV from May 25
Central Bank cuts loan-to-value caps for second time since November — commercial vehicles drop from 70% to 60%, cars and SUVs from 50% to 40%.
Business
Foreign investors sell US$13.9mn of Sri Lanka bonds in second straight week
Offshore holders sold a net US$13.9mn of rupee securities in the week to May 21, a second straight week of outflows as the rupee fell over 7% in 2026.
Business
SJB's Marikkar warns diesel could rise by Rs. 150 as rupee slides to Rs. 336
Opposition MP says rupee depreciation and rising fuel costs will push up prices of imports, medicine, food and farm inputs in the coming weeks.
Business
Mattala airport prepared for emergency landings as monsoon showers persist at BIA
CAA chief Daminda Rambukwella says CAA-SLAF-DMC committee set up to coordinate diversions to MRIA if BIA weather worsens through the south-west monsoon week.
Business
Police clarify temporary number plates not banned; only distorted plates face action
Police say only distorted or non-standard temporary number plates face action — not all temporary plates — amid the DMT shortage; issuance resumes in June.
Business
Rupee Asia's best on Friday, biggest gain in three years — Bloomberg eyes May 26 rate call
Bloomberg pegs Friday's 2.7% surge as Sri Lanka's biggest rupee gain since March 2023; most economists in its survey expect CBSL to hike on Tuesday.
Business
Sri Lanka rolls out free 30-day tourist ETA for 40 countries from May 25
An Immigration circular grants nationals of 40 countries a free 30-day, double-entry travel authorisation from May 25 in a long-delayed tourism push.
Business
Advocata says fuel subsidies driving dollar demand — diesel at Rs.392 vs Rs.409–410 cost
Dhananath Fernando says diesel is sold below cost and fuel — 23% of imports — must be repriced to ease dollar outflows of $200M–$500M a month.
Business
Commercial Bank becomes first bank to sign up for Port City Colombo branch
Commercial Bank CEO Sanath Manatunge and CHEC Port City MD Xiong Hongfeng signed the branch agreement — first bank inside the 269-ha Special Economic Zone.
Business
Colombo bourse loses 4.26% on the week as rupee jitters drag ASPI lower
The CSE ASPI shed roughly 976 points over the week of May 19-23 even after a third straight Friday gain, as exchange-rate concerns weighed on sentiment.
Business
Rescue underway for three Sri Lankan trawlers in distress, one being towed off Galle
Fisheries DG Susantha Kahawatte says rescue operations are under way for three multi-day trawlers, with one being towed 120 nautical miles back to Galle.
Business
Police Hunt Rainbow Garments Director Over Rs. 920 Million Romania Jobs Scam
CID and Commercial Crimes Division are probing Rainbow Garments Technologies over allegations it defrauded at least 750 people of nearly Rs. 920 million.
Business
CBSL Meets Forex Dealers Ahead of Tighter Currency Regulations
Central Bank weighs new foreign exchange controls to ease pressure on the rupee, which traded between Rs.342.63 and Rs.354.03 against the dollar.