News & market updates

Sri Lanka's ASPI rose 0.27% to 22,839.53 while the S&P SL20 fell 0.13% to 6,202.71; top contributors were Ceylinco Holdings, Colombo Dockyard, Singer (Sri Lanka), Ceylon Grain Elevators and Diesel & Motor Engineering. Market turnover rose to 7.78 billion rupees and spot gold traded at $4,010.92.

The 27th Presidential Export Awards ceremony will be held on December 11, 2025 at BMICH to recognise Sri Lanka's exporters for FY2024/25, with 66 awards (15 overall, 51 sectoral) to be presented. People’s Bank is the platinum sponsor, with SLTB and SLECIC as silver sponsors.

The Ministry of Plantations will survey and map all smallholder rubber lands in 2025 and issue QR codes to verify deforestation-free status to comply with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Exporters to the EU must present QR codes at export or face restrictions, with verified producers potentially gaining premium prices.

Sri Lanka held a "Business & Tourism Opportunities in Sri Lanka" forum in Brussels on 13 October 2025 to promote trade, investment and tourism, highlighting opportunities in tourism, pharmaceuticals, F&B, ICT, renewable energy and exports such as tea and coconut products.

Sri Lanka ran a marginal current-account surplus of 6 billion rupees in Jan–Sept 2025 as tax and non-tax revenues rose while recurrent spending grew; the overall deficit was 441 billion rupees after grants. The central bank missed its 5–7% inflation target and the rupee has begun to depreciate amid policy framework concerns.

UNDP Sri Lanka urged the government to mobilise large-scale private climate finance and strengthen institutional coordination at the launch of the National Climate Finance Strategy, noting mitigation needs exceed $10 billion for 2021–2030. It called for de-risking, regulatory reform and integration with development goals to attract investors.

Agstar PLC appointed Sajeewa Ranasinghe as Chief Executive Officer effective 15 October. Ranasinghe is BSc (Univ. of Moratuwa) and CIMA/CGMA qualified, and was previously COO/CFO at Associated Battery Manufacturers and held senior finance and executive roles at Ambeon Holdings, Phoenix Industries and Orange Electric.

Hayleys PLC (Hayleys Plantations) signed an MoU with Solidaridad Network Asia and Nucleus Foundation to expand regenerative agriculture and carbon insetting across its estates, aiming to generate verified Carbon Removal Units. Kelani Valley, Talawakelle and Horana estates will scale regenagri protocols, digital tools and traceability to meet global sustainability rules.

Bairaha Farms said poultry prices rose in Q3 2025 and it posted a net profit of Rs 427m for the quarter versus a Rs 109m loss a year earlier; its feed milling unit saw reduced profitability due to high-priced, low-quality local maize that cut broiler weights and tightened supply.

Average coconut prices at a weekly auction fell 5% for the third consecutive week to 128,060 rupees per 1,000 nuts; nuts offered fell to 302,679 and nuts sold to 214,469 week-on-week.

Sri Lanka launched the National Climate Finance Strategy 2025–2030 to mobilise climate investments and resilience, identifying 12 financial instruments including green bonds, disaster risk insurance, green revolving fund and carbon markets; first review set for 2027.

Hayleys Plantations (Hayleys PLC) signed an MoU with Solidaridad and Nucleus Foundation to expand Regenagri® regenerative agriculture and carbon insetting across its estates, rolling the programme out at Kelani Valley, Talawakelle and Horana to boost sustainability, traceability and CRU generation.

Sri Lanka's Board of Investment is seeking to fix the removal of the SVAT system that now charges VAT on locally produced inputs, which is discouraging backward integration and raising cashflow and interest costs for apparel and tea exporters. BOI has submitted a budget proposal and is engaging the tax authority to address the issue.

Treasury Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma said Sri Lanka will mobilise private and international capital to implement its National Climate Finance Strategy 2025–2030, creating market instruments and climate finance products to attract investors. The plan prioritises partnerships and governance to support sectors exposed to climate risk such as tourism and agriculture.

The UK said Sri Lanka's National Climate Finance Strategy 2025–2030 will help the country access international climate funding and attract investors, notably for renewable energy including offshore and onshore wind. UK-backed projects also cover groundwater salinity, climate forecasting and disaster preparedness.

Sri Lanka unveiled the National Climate Finance Strategy 2025–2030 to mobilize over $10bn for adaptation, aiming to tap official donors and private finance via ODA, public-private partnerships, debt-for-nature swaps and ESG bonds.

Dividend · Rs 0.60 · XD Nov 4, 2025

Final dividend of LKR 0.6/share; XD 2025-11-04; record 2025-11-05; payable 2025-11-24; FY ended 31st March 2025

Colombo market closed marginally up as the ASPI rose 0.26% to 22,850.95 on Rs. 9.2bn turnover, led by gains in Hayleys, Bairaha, Colombo Dockyard, Royal Ceramics, LAUGFS Gas and Dipped Products while DFCC, HNB, Commercial Bank and JKH declined; foreigners were net buyers (Rs. 13.8m).

Watawala Plantations PLC (WATA.N0000) saw its tea ad campaign targeted by a coordinated political disinformation campaign, prompting the brand to remove the main post. Independent tracking showed rapid, inorganic amplification via fake accounts and politically affiliated pages.

Sri Lanka’s merchandise exports rose 15.02% to $1,163.66m in September 2025, with Jan–Sep exports up 7.59% to $10,240.52m. Apparel exports rose 1.53% to $425.07m, tea exports rose 17.06% to $137.00m, and coconut-based exports rose 72.03% in September.

Sri Lanka's export sector earned US$12,986.52 Mn in Jan–Sep 2025, up about 7% year‑on‑year. Merchandise exports rose 7.59% to US$10,240.52 Mn and services grew ~4.49% (US$2,746.03 Mn), led by gains in tea, coconut, apparel, ICT/BPM and food & beverages.

Dividend · Rs 5.00 · XD Nov 3, 2025

First Interim dividend of LKR 5/share; XD 2025-11-03; record 2025-11-03; payable 2025-11-21; FY For the Year ending March 2026

The Committee on Public Finance raised Special Commodity Levies on imported big onions by Rs.10/kg to Rs.50 and on imported potatoes by Rs.20/kg to Rs.80, effective 26 Aug 2025. It also ordered tariff reform and tighter excise enforcement, suspending production by non-paying liquor manufacturers after 30 days and halting sales after 90 days.

Colombo ASPI rose 0.26% to 22,850.95 while the S&P SL20 fell 0.13% to 6,268.87; top contributors were Hayleys, Ceylon Grain Elevators, Cargills and Bairaha Farms, with market turnover at LKR 9 billion.

A Canadian Agricultural Mission will visit Sri Lanka from October 27–31, 2025 to deepen cooperation in agriculture, agri-food and agri-tech, focusing on policy, productivity, smart agriculture, climate resilience and expanding market access.

Sri Lanka earned $1.16 billion from tea exports in Jan–Sep 2025, almost 10% higher than the same period a year earlier. Export volumes rose to 198.3 Mnkg (up 9% YoY), FOB value averaged ~$5.86/kg and value-added share increased to 58%.

Curtin University Colombo hosted a high-level Australia–Sri Lanka research roundtable to develop joint projects in health, energy, agriculture, technology and policy. HNB's Chief Innovation Officer participated, with fintech and digital infrastructure among proposed collaboration areas.