Business
Rs. 356M Contract Awarded for Kelani Valley Railway Extension Study
Resources Development Consultants wins Cabinet contract for feasibility study on extending the line from Avissawella to Ratnapura.
Business
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Business
Motor Insurance to Shift to Cash-Before-Cover Model from 1 May
Credit periods will be cut from 90 days to 30 days initially and phased out, the Insurance Association said, aligning with global practice.
Business
Brent Slips to $98 as Ceasefire Extended, Vance Islamabad Trip Cancelled
Brent crude dipped 0.2% to $98.32 and WTI fell 0.3% as Trump extended the Iran ceasefire indefinitely and Vance's Islamabad trip was cancelled.
Business
Panama Canal Auction Bids Hit $4 Million as Hormuz Blockade Reroutes Trade
An LNG vessel paid USD 4 million to skip the Panama Canal queue as the Hormuz blockade pushes Asian refiners toward US oil and gas sourcing.
Business
Sri Lanka's PDMO Wins Commonwealth Debt Management Office of the Year
The PDMO secured Asia-Pacific honours at the Commonwealth Debt Management Forum in London — 15 months after its establishment under the 2024 Act.
Business
Sri Lanka Tea Output Falls 14.5% in March on Prolonged Dry Weather
Production dropped to 20.8 million kg in March from 24.4 million kg a year earlier, with High and Mid Grown teas the hardest hit, Asia Siyaka data show.
Business
Cabinet Awards SriLankan's Dubai Handling Contracts to Dnata for AED 40.64M
Combined three-year passenger and cargo handling contracts at Dubai International Airport replace agreements that have expired or expire in June.
Business
Sri Lanka Seeks UK Partnerships on Ports and Aviation, Karunathilaka Says
British HC Andrew Patrick offers UK state and private sector partnerships for Sri Lanka's ports and airports at a meeting with Minister Karunathilaka.
Business
Rathnayake says construction projects on track despite Middle East tensions
Minister says Central Expressway Phase III is 75% complete; CT Smith flags Rs. 2 trillion 2026-28 pipeline alongside input-cost risks.
Business
Colombo Stocks Close Up as Investors Watch US-Iran Ceasefire Talks
The ASPI gained 0.25% to 22,625.48 on Tuesday as brokers said volatility had been priced in ahead of the Wednesday US-Iran ceasefire deadline.
Business
Expressway Revenue Tops Rs. 536 Million Over 10-Day Avurudu Period
Sri Lanka's expressway network earned more than Rs. 536 million from vehicles travelling between April 10 and April 20, the Ministry of Transport said.
Business
Fitch Warns Sri Lanka, Other Frontier Oil Importers Face Balance of Payments Pressure
Fitch warns high energy prices will pressure the balance of payments of oil-importing frontier economies including Sri Lanka, amid Hormuz disruption.
Business
Fitch Withdraws CEB's A(lka) Rating After Utility Dissolved and Split Into Six
Fitch withdraws the CEB's A(lka) national rating after the utility was dissolved in March into six state-owned successor companies, ending its existence.
Business
Tourism Down 17.4%, Freight Up 40%: Industry Leaders Warn Recovery Under Strain
Forum hears $65m tourism revenue lost, one-third of airlines disrupted and 35% of global shipping routes affected as geopolitics hits Sri Lanka's recovery.
Business
IMF ties Sri Lanka's $700m EFF unlock to cost-reflective energy pricing
Srinivasan says Asia growth will slow from 5% to 4.4% in 2026; Sri Lanka's fiscal buffers allow targeted — but temporary — shock support.
Business
Japan Commits USD 2.6 Million for Climate Dairy and Women Deminer Projects
Japan provides USD 2.6 million via UNDP for a dairy programme in Kilinochchi and Nuwara Eliya and a women deminer expansion in the Northern Province.
Business
Pharma Chamber Warns of Looming Medicine Shortage Crisis in Sri Lanka
The SLCPI says import licence delays, Hormuz-linked freight costs, and rupee pressure threaten essential medicine supply, calling for urgent state action.
Business
Sri Lanka NCPI Inflation Climbs to 2.4% in March 2026
The National Consumer Price Index rose to 2.4% year-on-year in March, up from 1.6% in February, Department of Census and Statistics data shows.
Business
Sri Lanka Rupee Closes at 316.50/75, Bond Yields Steady Tuesday
The rupee weakened slightly to 316.50/75 per dollar while government bond yields held steady, with a Rs. 110 billion Treasury bill auction due Wednesday.
Business
April Tourist Arrivals Cross 88,000 as India Leads with 29% Share
Sri Lanka welcomed 88,221 tourists in April so far, with India accounting for 29% of arrivals and cumulative 2026 tourism reaching 828,845, SLTDA says.
Business
World Bank says para-tariff phase-out will cut duties 9 points, lift incomes
South Asia Economic Update projects 3.1% short-term consumption boost; processed food and beverages sector faces largest duty cuts.
Business
Shipping Executive Urges Sri Lanka to Tap Alternative Oil Routes Beyond Hormuz
Maritime executive Capt. A.B.C. Cashmere has written to President Dissanayake urging Sri Lanka to diversify oil sourcing away from the Strait of Hormuz.
Business
Central Bank Presents Annual Economic Review 2025 to President
CBSL Governor Weerasinghe presented the 2025 Annual Economic Review to President Dissanayake; the report credits reforms for resilience despite Ditwah.
Business
CBSL Survey Shows Resilient Business Outlook Between Cyclone Ditwah and Middle East War
The CBSL Business Outlook Survey captured continued expansion into early 2026 before the Middle East conflict disrupted global energy and supply chains.