News & market updates

Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation General (SLICGL) held its 'General Insurance Summit 2024' on 20–21 June at Shangri‑La Hambantota, honoring over 200 sales personnel for meeting revenue targets. The two-day event included sessions on digital transformation and customer experience to boost sales productivity and efficiency.

HNB Assurance PLC hosted its Partnership Awards 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, celebrating its partnership channel's strong contribution to Gross Written Premiums, record MDRT qualifiers and highest COTs/TOTs, and earning Sri Lanka's Best Life Bancassurance Provider for a fifth consecutive year.

Employers’ Federation of Ceylon launched the inaugural EFC National Best Employer Awards 2025 to recognise organisational excellence; AIA Insurance is platinum partner and applications are open until 10 October 2025.

Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation General Limited (SLICGL) held its 'General Insurance Summit 2024' on 20–21 June 2025, honouring over 200 sales personnel from its 3,000+ sales network for surpassing revenue targets. The two-day event featured sessions on digital transformation and customer experience to boost sales productivity and efficiency.

Ceylinco Life launched the 19th 'Family Savari' promotion offering five fully-paid Beijing family trips (20 people), ten Malaysia trips (40 people) and 250 Pearl Bay day passes (1,000 people); winners to be drawn in January 2026. The promotion runs to 31 Dec 2025 and qualifies existing policyholders who maintain policies or minimum balances and new customers who pay three months' premiums, with extra entries for app downloads and recurring payments.

The Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (IRCSL) concluded a four-day study tour to India (25–28 Aug 2025) with IRDAI, IIB, LIC and industry bodies to study IFRS 17, risk-based supervision, insurtech, data analytics and health-insurance reforms to inform Sri Lanka's regulatory roadmap.

Janashakthi Life (a subsidiary of Janashakthi Group) recognised over 120 high performers at its Mid-Year Awards 2025 on 8 September, with more than 60 winners receiving Star Class hotel stay packages.

Union Assurance (UAL.N0000) partnered with Flash Health to offer free monthly online doctor consultations through its Clicklife app. The move integrates digital health services into the insurer's mobile ecosystem, complementing other Clicklife offerings such as mobile cancer care coverage.

Sanasa Life Insurance launched 'Heenalanthaya', a nationwide consumer promotion offering prizes including monthly shopping sprees, theme-park trips, helicopter tours, hotel stays and international holidays (eight Europe grand prizes); eligibility requires a new life policy and three consecutive premium payments.

Sri Lanka GDP grew 4.9% in Q2 2025 led by industry (manufacturing +16.6%, construction +8.5%) and services (financial services +12.3%, hotels & restaurants +10.3%). Growth was aided by restricted vehicle imports and lower interest rates; agriculture rose 2%.

Sri Lanka's economy expanded 4.9% in Q2 2025, the eighth consecutive quarter of positive growth. Growth was driven by wholesale and retail trade (notably motor vehicle sales after lifted import restrictions), transport and warehousing, financial services and insurance, construction and mining, with moderate manufacturing gains and support from relatively lower interest rates.

Central Bank's Systemic Risk Survey for H2 2025 found respondents' confidence in Sri Lanka's financial system improved in the short term but declined slightly in the medium term. The report said global macroeconomic risks increased and the perceived chance of a high‑impact negative event fell short‑term but rose modestly medium‑term.

Central Bank of Sri Lanka released the key findings of the Systemic Risk Survey for H2 2025, summarising financial market participants' confidence in the financial system and the sources and likelihood of perceived risks. The survey sampled risk officers at banks, finance companies, insurers, brokerages and other financial firms.

Weekly Treasury Bill auction raised Rs.59.18bn (76.85% of the Rs.77bn offered) as weighted average yields held at 7.58% (91d), 7.89% (182d) and 8.02% (364d). A Rs.155bn Treasury Bond auction across 2030/2032/2035 maturities is due, secondary bond activity was thin and the rupee was slightly firmer at ~Rs.302/USD.

Sri Lanka's rupee closed at 301.98/302.02 to the US dollar (virtually unchanged) while government bond yields edged up — 15.12.2026 at 8.20/30%, 15.12.2028 at 9.10/15% (from 9.05/10%), 15.12.2032 at 10.40/50% (from 10.35/45%). An Rs.155,000 million Treasury bond issue is scheduled on Thursday.

World Bank will provide a $100m IDA loan for Sri Lanka’s $120m Integrated 'Rurban' Development and Climate Resilience Project to directly support 8,000 agri-food producers and benefit 380,000 people; the project funds irrigation, climate-smart farming, crop insurance, value chains and food-safety upgrades.

SANASA Life Insurance won the National Business Excellence Awards (NBEA) 2025 'Large Category — Excellence in Business & Financial Results'. The company said digitalization has improved onboarding, transparency and operational efficiency while expanding outreach to low-income clients.

BIMSTEC has been granted Observer Status by the Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), enabling engagement with regional and global institutions and adoption of AML/CFT best practices to combat illicit finance across the Bay of Bengal region.

Chrysalis, supported by CARE Germany and international partners, launched Sri Lanka's first Climate Resilience Revolving Fund to provide rapid financial support to MSME consortia in Uva and Central Provinces to strengthen post-disaster recovery and long-term resilience.

Policybazaar for Business has launched tech-driven reinsurance operations in Sri Lanka, Qatar, Oman and the UAE to provide digital facultative and treaty capacity. The platform targets property, marine, liability, cyber and climate risks and could expand reinsurance capacity and transparency for Sri Lanka insurers such as LOLC, Ceylinco and Janashakthi.

The Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation will hold two World Alzheimer’s Month events in Colombo: a 5 km 'Run to Remember' on 13 Sept and a 'Memory Walk' on 27 Sept (entrance Rs.300), with sponsors including Janashakthi Insurance.

Allianz Insurance Lanka Ltd sponsored SoarFest ’25 at Galle Face Green on 2 August 2025 and offered one-on-one healthcare consultations to attendees to raise awareness about healthcare coverage.

Ceylinco Life held its Mid-Year Awards 2025 at Shangri-La Hambantota, recognising 215 sales officers with 300 guests in attendance under the theme 'Mission: Rise to Greatness'. The ceremony, attended by Chairman R. Renganathan, honoured top performers including Best Branch Head K. Pakirathan and Best Life Insurance Advisor A.I.P. Manjula.

Ramp Up 2025, a WCIC fashion showcase on 9 Sept at Hilton Colombo, will spotlight women-led designers and is sponsored by companies including Sampath Bank (SAMP.N0000), Ceylon Cold Stores (CCS.N0000) and Janashakthi Insurance (JINS.N0000).

The Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka launched National Insurance Day/Insurance Awareness Month activities and announced initiatives including a Centralised Motor Insurance Database and integration of insurance literacy into school curricula. IRCSL also ran large-scale public awareness programs with 29 insurers and plans further roadshows.

Colombo Bourse fell as investors took profits, with the ASPI down 72 pts to 20,991 and turnover of Rs. 7.5bn (foreign net inflow Rs. 97m). Declines were led by CTC, SAMP, NDB and COMB while Alumex, Sierra Cables and Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings posted gains.

Ceylinco Life reported gross written premium of Rs. 22.45 billion and total income of Rs. 36.49 billion for the six months to 30 June 2025. The company posted profit before tax of Rs. 3.1 billion, net profit of Rs. 2.08 billion, and total assets of Rs. 266.38 billion.

Secondary bond yields rose last week with two-way quotes closing higher and the yield curve shifting up (notably along the belly); foreign holdings of Rupee Treasuries recorded a Rs.2.10 billion net inflow, lifting holdings to Rs.108.67 billion. Money market liquidity surged to Rs.146.54 billion and the USD/LKR traded broadly steady near Rs.302.

Sri Lanka is preparing for its upcoming FATF review; Deloitte sponsored the IIA conference and ran client sessions (13–14 Aug) offering guidance on AML compliance, internal audit, CBSL regulatory changes and cybersecurity to help institutions strengthen controls and governance.