News & market updates

Colombo stocks rose 0.25% as foreign investors turned net buyers after a 21-session selling streak, recording a net inflow of Rs. 19.8 million and lifting the ASPI 55.45 points to 22,625.48. Top contributors included CINS, BUKI, CFIN, MELS and NHL, while consumer services led turnover and oil price moderation supported sentiment.

SLCPI has called for urgent action to prevent looming medicine shortages in Sri Lanka. It said rising fuel (+38%) and freight (+40%) costs, API/input price increases (up to 70%), rupee depreciation and import‑licence/pricing delays are disrupting pharmaceutical imports and supply continuity.

Shirantha Peries announced his candidacy for president of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka on 20 April, outlining a reform mandate to strengthen governance, unite federations and boost athlete development. Peries is a businessman and owner of Mega Pharma Group (annual turnover > Rs. 6 billion) and currently serves as NOC Vice President.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed down with the ASPI down 0.89% to 22,570.03 and the S&P SL20 down 0.66% to 6,222.79. Asiri Hospital (+12.37%), Melstacorp and Carson Cumberbatch led gains while RIL (-5.92%), C T Holdings and Dialog were top decliners; turnover Rs 4.11bn.

More than 90 students from Don Bosco Institute's civil engineering, nursing and hotel & tourism management faculties graduated on April 10, with most reportedly securing jobs before the convocation. The institute is accredited up to NVQ Level 6 and serves about 250 students across six faculties.

Ninewells Hospital broke ground on a new building to expand surgical capabilities, patient care environments and medical infrastructure, aiming to increase capacity and specialised services in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's 15th census shows a shrinking workforce and ageing population: total fertility rate fell to 1.3, median age rose to 35, elderly (60+) are 18% of the population and 52.7% of working-age people are economically inactive.

Three Sinha Industries Ltd was awarded the SLIA Product Award of Merit on 27 February 2026 for its locally manufactured Clean Room Door, recognised for durability, hygiene control and suitability for healthcare, laboratory and industrial clean rooms.

BOI held a full-day FDI promotion session with a 15-member Malaysian delegation to showcase ready projects, land and infrastructure for immediate investment, drawing interest in ICT/data centers, solar renewable energy, manufacturing, FMCG, agri-processing and tourism.

Swinburne University of Technology Australia sent a delegation of academics to Sri Lanka to brief students on global opportunities and evolving education across business, health sciences, engineering and IT. They stressed adaptability, industry integration, digital/AI skills, sustainability and renewable-focused training.

EDB convened CPC and a broad cross-section of exporters to address fuel accessibility and distribution bottlenecks; CPC agreed to facilitate direct dialogue to establish a reliable, prioritized fuel supply mechanism for export-oriented industries including apparel, electronics and pharmaceuticals.

The EDB convened a high-level meeting with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and export industry stakeholders to tackle fuel distribution problems affecting exporters; CPC agreed to engage directly with the private sector to improve prioritised and coordinated fuel supply.

Morison, a subsidiary of Hemas Holdings, invested LKR 4 billion in a world‑class Pitipana manufacturing facility and is shifting focus to build branded, high‑quality affordable pharmaceuticals with EU‑GMP targets and export ambitions. Management cites policy, regulatory consistency and tax reforms as key enablers for long‑term viability.

Sri Lanka and Brazil agreed to elevate bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2030. They also committed to finalising MoUs and technical cooperation projects in areas including dairy/livestock, sugarcane, agriculture, ports and shipping, and traditional/Ayurvedic medicine.

National Savings Bank signed an MoU with the International Institute of Health Sciences to provide student loan facilities for IIHS healthcare degree and foundation programmes, aiming to widen local access to international qualifications and reduce overseas education expenditure.

Sands Active Private Limited showcased its pharmaceutical product range, including paracetamol brand Meldol which saw notable demand, at the Medicare International Healthcare Exhibition 2026 at BMICH, Colombo. Company reps also held public awareness sessions and highlighted compliance with WHO and EU‑GMP standards.

EWIS launched 'AEGIS,' an AI-powered, on-premise platform to simulate and validate legacy-system modernisation, aiming to reduce transformation risk, downtime and cost overruns. The solution targets banks, insurance, government, telecoms and healthcare and uses AI code intelligence, dependency mapping and digital-twin simulation.

China opened the world's first smart elder-care robot station in Beijing — a four-storey, ~1,100 sqm facility with over 40 types of robots offering dining, rehabilitation and healthcare services and capacity for 300+ visitors daily. Separately, Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital's 1,001-bed 'Presidential Suite' was ordered opened for public use.

The Supreme Court found ex-Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and several officials guilty over procurement breaches under the 2022 Indian Credit Line, ordering Rambukwella to pay Rs.75 million and four other officials to pay Rs.50 million each to the State.

Healthguard Distribution (Sunshine Group) invested Rs. 300 million to upgrade its Colombo Western Regional Distribution Centre into an 18,000 sq ft hub, doubling cold storage to 30 CBM and supporting a network of 4,500 customer points with 97% next‑day delivery.

Sri Lanka and Brazil agreed to elevate bilateral trade to USD 1 billion by 2030. They also committed to finalise pending MoUs (including on traditional/Ayurvedic medicine), and to sign Dairy Livestock and Sugarcane technical cooperation projects while exploring cooperation in agriculture, ports and tourism.

Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation General was the Official Insurance Partner of Medicare 2026 (6–8 Mar 2026, BMICH), engaging over 10,000 visitors and showcasing its Mediplus and Medi60 health insurance products to promote affordable coverage.

Joseph Fraser Hospital has upgraded its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with advanced ventilators, monitoring, incubators and a family‑centred care model to support premature and high‑risk infants. The hospital also upgraded maternal HDU, blood bank, labour suites and operating theatre.

World Oral Health Day (March 20) urges attention to gum health, recommending brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste (e.g., Clogard Natural Salt), regular flossing and six-month dental checkups to prevent gum disease. The piece notes gum disease links to diabetes and cardiovascular risks and that early-stage disease is reversible.

APIIT Sri Lanka, in partnership with the University of Staffordshire, is offering a BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science that can be completed entirely in Sri Lanka and claims an approximate LKR 12 million saving versus studying overseas; applications open for March 2026 intake. The programme readies graduates for clinical labs, research, pharma and public health roles and allows transfer to Staffordshire with a 1.5-year UK post-study work visa option.

President Dissanayake said about 30 private firms have been given temporary licences to import fuel in US dollars to directly supply exporters and the tourism sector; he added LP gas, fertiliser and grain stocks are sufficient and delayed crude shipments (two of 90,000t) are expected soon, averting a crisis.

Sri Lanka's economy expanded 5.0% in 2025, with Q4 growth slowing to 4.8% (from 5.4% in Q3). Industry led the expansion (7.8%) driven by construction, mining and manufacturing, while services grew 3.3% and agriculture 1.4%.

Melstacorp's fully owned subsidiary Melsta Hospitals has partnered with the National Insurance Trust Fund to extend Agrahara scheme benefits, waiving in-patient admission fees and offering discounts (20% on radiology, cardiology and physiotherapy; 10% on lab tests and screenings).

Vida Medical Clinic opened a new expanded 4,000+ sq ft facility in Colombo 05 with three consultation rooms, a physiotherapy room, a procedure room and an on-site laboratory, and has added services including PRP treatments and multivitamin IV therapy. The clinic also expands 24-hour emergency, island-wide ambulance and home-care services.

The Ceylon Chamber urged the government to temporarily limit non-essential foreign currency outflows and allow licensed bunkering firms to procure fuel independently, potentially in foreign currency, to protect exports and tourism amid the Middle East crisis. It also recommended prioritising IMF tranche continuity, dynamic fuel pricing, faster fuel and fertiliser procurement, and measures to support tourism and trade efficiency.