News & market updates

EDB ran a Technical Exposure and Capacity Building Programme alongside THAIFEX–ANUGA ASIA 2026 (24–31 May 2026) in Bangkok for 11 Sri Lankan export-ready food & beverage SMEs. The delegation visited packaging and processing facilities and met Thai industry bodies to gain market, packaging and marketing insights to support export expansion.

Sri Lanka's NCPI inflation rose to 5.4% in May 2026 from 4.7% in April. Food inflation increased to 1.5% and non-food inflation to 8.6%; the 12-month moving average rose to 2.4% and the NCPI was up 1.2% month-on-month.

Hayleys Mobility (Hayleys PLC) opened a new authorised sales-partner showroom in Anuradhapura with CarSwitch, expanding retail access to brands JAECOO, OMODA, KAIYI and SRM in the North Central Province. The showroom offers vehicle sales, consultation and dedicated after-sales support to strengthen regional reach.

Colombo Stock Exchange ASPI fell 0.25% to 22,305.37 (down 55.94 pts) while the S&P SL20 dropped 0.30% to 6,196.50. Market turnover was Rs 423.9m, led by insurance at Rs 135.1m; NDB, Sampath and Lion Brewery were top gainers while Hayleys, Aitken Spence, Haycarb and LOLC led losses.

Emerging Women Summit in Kilinochchi drew over 200 participants, including 150+ women entrepreneurs, to strengthen access to finance, markets and business support. Organised by LIIN under the GRIT Project (funded by Global Affairs Canada), the event featured financing and market-access sessions, 40+ stalls and participation from institutions including DFCC Bank and Commercial Bank.

Dividend · Rs 25.00

First And Final dividend of LKR 25/share; FY 2025/26

Sri Lanka has issued a Gazette to systematically monitor imports, requiring detailed importer information and mandating banks to assign a separate identification number for each transaction to curb illicit foreign-exchange outflows. The move follows disclosures of scams using fake company registrations and aims to protect reserves without fully restricting trade.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed down on Friday as investor uncertainty over a US–Iran deal weighed on markets; the ASPI fell 0.33% to 22,361.31 and the S&P SL20 fell 0.25% to 6,211.13. Market turnover was Rs 1.8 billion and crossings were recorded in CIC, Singer, NDB, Sampath Bank and Dialog Axiata.

ChoKoLAATe Mother-Daughter Fashion Designer 2026 grand finale at the Grand Marquee, Taj Samudra Colombo crowned Niki Vagail as overall winner; Ashen Rishmal and Lavanya Dissanayake were runners-up and several category awards, internships and a scholarship were also announced.

Luxe Active Edit 2026, presented by FITCON with Fit.lk and Haut Monde, showcased local and international activewear and athleisure at Cinnamon Life, highlighting rising demand for performance-driven fashion. The runway and pop-up vendors featured brands including ASICS, PUMA, Ministry of Brands, Club Tropikai, F10, Amante and TRU Activewear.

Renuka Agri Foods PLC was among Sri Lankan companies showcasing products at THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2026 (26–30 May) in Bangkok as part of an EDB-organized pavilion to promote food and beverage exports.

Colombo market rose for a second session as the ASPI gained 0.22% to 22,436.14 on turnover above Rs.3.1bn, driven by elevated HNW activity with PKME, Dialog and NDB among top contributors; foreigners were net sellers of Rs.333.3m.

Sri Lanka Print Expo 2026 opens 19 June at BMICH and runs to 21 June, showcasing printing, packaging and digital technologies and hosting the National Print Excellence Awards on 20 June; Gestetner of Ceylon is listed as a Gold Sponsor.

Visa launched 'Click to Pay' in Sri Lanka, a tokenised one-click online checkout to speed up and secure e-commerce payments. Consumers can enroll cards via email or mobile for faster checkouts while issuers and merchants may see higher card usage and payment success rates.

UK Trade Envoy Lord Hannett will visit Colombo 17–19 June 2026 to hold talks with government ministers and business leaders to deepen UK–Sri Lanka trade and investment ties and promote use of the UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme zero-tariff access for Sri Lankan exports. He will engage with exporters including the apparel sector, UK firms operating locally, and stakeholders in clean energy, retail, manufacturing and technology.

Manufacturing PMI rose to 56.6 and Services PMI to 56.9 in May, indicating expansion in both sectors. Manufacturing was driven by food & beverages and textiles, while services growth was led by financial, professional services and IT; outlook buoyed by expected tourist arrivals but risks from the Middle East conflict persist.

The Shoppes at City of Dreams Sri Lanka will host Cake Date on 27 June, a community gathering celebrating connection through shared cake. Retailers within The Shoppes will join the activation as part of a broader calendar of community-driven events to build the destination’s role as a social and lifestyle hub.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed flat, with the ASPI up 0.04% at 22,385 and the S&P SL20 down 0.17% at 6,210; turnover was 2.5 billion rupees. Top positive contributors were CT Holdings, Lion Brewery and Hayleys.

Visa launched 'Click to Pay' in Sri Lanka, introducing tokenized one-click online card payments to speed up checkouts and improve security for consumers, merchants and issuer banks.

Colombo market closed flat as the ASPI fell 0.02% to 22,377.29 after an early peak at 22,563.09, while the S&P SL20 rose 0.03% to 6,221.32 on turnover of Rs. 3.85bn. Foreigners were net buyers (Rs. 427.1m); top contributors were JKH, HAYL, DOCK, BREW and BIL, with CARG, CINS, SAMP, NDB and CFIN weighing on the index.

Delmege Consumer has partnered with Daraz to sell its full range of FMCG products online via a Delmege store on daraz.lk, expanding its digital distribution and enabling islandwide delivery and online offers.

Gestetner of Ceylon PLC was appointed the Authorized Distribution Partner for MAXHUB in Sri Lanka, gaining rights to distribute the full MAXHUB product portfolio and launching MAXHUB Connect 2026 to showcase the collaboration solutions.

Dividend · Rs 67.50 · XD Jun 25, 2026

First Interim dividend of LKR 67.5/share; XD 2026-06-25; record 2026-06-25; payable 2026-07-15; FY 2026/2027

Sri Lanka's services PMI rose to 56.9 in May 2026 from 46.7 in April, signalling a rebound led by financial, professional and other personal services, with real estate, IT programming and goods transportation also recording growth; employment declined further.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed flat with the ASPI down 0.02% to 22,377 and the S&P SL20 up 0.05% to 6,222; top gainers included Sunshine and Commercial Bank, while Singer and Sampath Bank were among the laggards.

World Bank cut its global growth forecast to 2.5% for 2026, warned higher energy and fertiliser prices will raise inflation, and is making $50–60bn available immediately (scalable to $80–100bn over 15 months) to support vulnerable countries.

Lakarcade won the 2026 Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Award, placing the Colombo-based gift and souvenir retailer in the top 10% of attractions and hospitality businesses worldwide. The recognition, based on traveller reviews, underscores its appeal to international visitors and shoppers.

Sri Lanka will launch the National Export Development Plan (NEDP) 2026–2030 targeting $36 billion in export revenue by 2030, developed by the Export Development Board with ADB technical assistance. The plan sets horizontal enablers (trade facilitation, trade finance, supply chain, ESG) and eight priority verticals including electronics, digital services, processed foods, auto components, rubber, minerals, marine and spices.

ADB is deploying $4 billion to help countries including Sri Lanka manage impacts from the West Asia conflict, with about $3 billion requested by governments and $1 billion for trade finance for energy and food imports. Support includes policy-based loans, countercyclical financing, rapid repurposing of portfolios and emergency assistance.

World Bank says Middle East conflict will slow global growth to 2.5% in 2026 (the lowest since COVID-19) and is ready to provide up to $100 billion to affected countries over 15 months. It warns higher energy prices (Brent ~ $94/bbl in 2026), rising inflation and borrowing costs, and downside risks that could cut growth to 1.3% if disruptions worsen.