News & market updates

Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board launched a pig insurance scheme to cover deaths of breeding pigs on registered commercial farms with coverage up to Rs.200,000 per animal for pigs aged 6 months to 4.5 years. Claims cover deaths from accidents and diseases and require adherence to Department of Animal Production and Health biosecurity rules.

Janashakthi Insurance Company PLC (Janashakthi Life) was the Title Partner for the 15th Battle of the Hindus school cricket match, marking its fourth consecutive year as title partner. The event coincided with Hindu College Colombo's 75th anniversary and featured Hindu College Colombo vs Jaffna Hindu College.

AIA Group reported record 2025 results: VONB rose 15% to $5,516m, EV Equity per share was up 14% to $79.7bn and OPAT was $7,136m (up 12% per share). The board proposed a 10% higher total dividend to 193.08 HK cents and approved a $1.7bn share buy-back.

Sri Lanka's rupee closed at 311.50/65 per US dollar (weaker from 311.30/50) and government bond yields rose across the curve — e.g., 15.02.2028: 9.25-9.40% (from 9.15-9.25%), longer-dated yields up to about 11.00%.

Sri Lanka's Treasury bill yields were unchanged across maturities at Wednesday's auction; 60.79 billion rupees were sold of 120 billion offered, with the 3-month at 7.61% (26.26bn sold), 6-month at 7.91% (12.83bn) and 12-month at 8.23% (21.69bn).

Sri Lanka's economy expanded 5.0% in 2025, with GDP at constant prices rising to Rs. 13,128,577 million. Industry led growth at 7.8% while services grew 3.3% and agriculture 1.4%; authorities cited easing interest rates, a relatively stable exchange rate and stronger construction, manufacturing, financial services, IT and tourism activity.

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%.

The Cabinet approved emergency procurement of 300,000 tons (±10%) of coal for the Norochcholai (Lakvijaya) power plant and authorised flexible procurement of petroleum, LP gas and coal for three months. The coal contract was awarded to India's Taranjot Resources Ltd. amid shipping and insurance disruptions linked to Middle East unrest.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka urged the Government to continue fiscal consolidation and strengthen external buffers, warning rising global risks — geopolitical tensions, commodity price volatility and adverse weather — could threaten macro-financial stability. The warning was issued with the release of the Financial Sector Performance 2025 report.

Ceylinco Life won two awards for its 2024 Annual Report: winner in ACCA Sri Lanka's 'Other Financial Services' category and Silver in the Insurance Companies category (Gross Premium > Rs.10 billion) while also being ranked among the Top 10 Integrated Reports at the TAGS Awards.

Sanasa Life Insurance completed a Rs.522.67m rights issue of 52,267,278 shares at Rs.10 each on 13 March 2026 to strengthen its solvency. The raise is expected to lift CAR from 49.51% to 100.64%; IRCSL suspension of long-term business registration remains in place until 5 May 2026.

Sri Lanka's rupee strengthened to 311.30/40 per US dollar in spot trading (from 311.50/60), while government bond yields closed mixed on limited trading; the 15.12.2026 bond was about 8.10-8.20% and longer-dated maturities ranged roughly 9.15%-10.80%.

Co-operative Insurance Company PLC appointed Haritha Karunanayake as an Independent Non-Executive Director, bringing experience in co-operative administration, the tea industry and rural banking.

Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation General extended its strategic partnership with SLIIT as the official insurance partner for the National Educator Awards, continuing to offer the 'Guru Buhuman' teacher insurance with Rs.1,000,000 personal accident and Rs.3,000,000 home cover.

Sri Lanka rupee closed weaker at 311.50/60 per USD on Monday (from 311.15/25 on Friday) while government bond yields rose; reported yields ranged from about 8.10% (Dec 2026) up to roughly 10.80–10.90% (Jun 2035), with several maturities higher.

Sri Lanka sold Rs4,000 million of Treasury bonds on tap at a weighted average yield of 10.80% (15 Aug 2036), bringing total bonds sold this week to Rs91.02 billion; settlement is March 16.

Sri Lanka's secondary government bond market was volatile early in the week but closed broadly steady week‑on‑week. A Treasury Bond auction raised Rs.87.02bn (66.94% of Rs.130bn offered) amid undersubscription, foreign holdings fell by Rs.4.5bn, and system liquidity remained ample at around Rs.406.78bn.

Allianz Lanka signed a subscription agreement with the Credit Information Bureau of Sri Lanka to join the national Insurance Data Repository, aiming to strengthen data governance and improve risk assessment and underwriting quality across the insurance sector.

LOLC Securities' Investor Forum said a sovereign credit rating upgrade could attract foreign inflows as CSE market capitalisation rose to about Rs.7.6 trillion (from Rs.2.9 trillion in 2022). The forum highlighted stabilised macro fundamentals, recovering exports and tourism, and sectoral opportunities in finance, construction and export-oriented industries.

Mintpay launched a Corporate Gifting Solution offering no-expiry digital vouchers convertible to Mint Coins and redeemable at 2,500+ merchants; the product has been adopted by over 50 companies, including Union Assurance, within six months.

Union Assurance opened a new branch in Embilipitiya and relocated its Chilaw branch to an upgraded facility, expanding its regional footprint to improve customer access and service delivery.

Sri Lanka sold Rs87.02bn of 2030, 2034 and 2036 government bonds at average yields of 9.50% (2030), 10.75% (2034) and 10.85% (2036); the Rs40bn 15‑Aug‑2036 issue was fully sold and is available on tap.

The Financial Intelligence Unit completed the 2024/25 National Risk Assessment on money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing, finding overall ML risk remains medium, TF risk rose to medium-high and PF was rated medium. The NRA includes 15 recommendations and will inform an updated national AML/CFT/CPF policy for 2026–2030 and institutional risk assessments.

The Association of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes held its 1st Healthcare Leadership Summit on 9 March 2026 to develop a trackable set of implementable priorities for Sri Lanka's private healthcare sector. Attendees included hospital leaders, regulators, insurers and international experts.

Ceylinco Life’s 2024 annual report won the ACCA Sustainability Reporting Award (winner in 'Other Financial Services') and received a Silver at CA Sri Lanka’s TAGS Awards (Top 10 Integrated Reports; Silver in Insurance companies category for gross premiums > Rs.10bn).

Sri Lanka's Financial Intelligence Unit identified drug trafficking as the country's top money‑laundering threat, raising the drug-related ML threat to 'high' in the National Risk Assessment 2024/25. The NRA rated overall ML risk as 'medium', TF risk as 'medium-high' and PF as 'medium', and issued 15 recommendations for updating national AML/CFT/CPF policy for 2026–2030.

Share split · 1:3 · XD Apr 9, 2026

The ASPI plunged 3.51% to 21,904.14 as panic selling and a >25% surge in crude to about $115/bbl on Middle East conflict hit the CSE; banking and blue-chip stocks (Commercial Bank, HNB, JKH, Sampath, C T Holdings) led declines while Lanka IOC rose.

AIA Group Chairman Sir Mark Tucker met Sri Lanka's Foreign Affairs, Tourism and Foreign Employment Minister Vijitha Herath on 9–10 March and briefed him on AIA's operations; the Minister invited AIA to further expand its footprint in the country.

Fitch says the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is likely temporary and, coupled with global oil market oversupply and ample inventories, should limit oil-price rises; it does not expect significant upside to its Dec-2025 assumption of average Brent at USD63/bbl for 2026.