News & market updates

Sri Lanka's ASPI fell 0.20% to 21,171.86 at Friday midday; market turnover was Rs.1.62 billion, led by retailing (Rs.1.029 billion). Melstacorp, John Keells and Cargills were up, while Bukit Darah and Ceylinco Insurance were among the top decliners.

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce will host a business networking session with a 30-member Indian Chamber of Commerce delegation on 28 July at the Hilton Colombo Residences to connect Sri Lankan firms with Indian companies. Participating sectors include manufacturing, construction, healthcare, IT, renewable energy and tourism.

Dr Binod Chaudhary said his group's BYD venture with John Keells expanded into 25 countries within a year and credited the partnership for that growth. He urged Sri Lankan boards to pair sound governance with global ambition, citing Wai Wai's export success and the need to embrace AI.

Colombo market extended its rebound as the ASPI rose 0.24% (49.81 pts) to 21,199.37 and the S&P SL20 gained 0.22% to 5,945.87, with turnover about Rs.1.1bn and foreigners net sellers of Rs.188.6m. Top contributors included HNB, CARS, CINS, NDB and TKYO; NDB, SAMP and PKME gained while MELS fell and JKH closed flat.

Ceylon Chamber will host a business networking session with a 30-member Indian Chamber of Commerce delegation on 28 July at the Hilton Colombo Residences, offering Sri Lankan firms opportunities to explore trade, investment and partnerships across sectors including manufacturing, construction, healthcare, IT, renewables and tourism.

Sri Lanka's export earnings rose 7.96% YoY to $9.01bn in Jan–Jun 2026, with June exports at $1.65bn (up 12.5% YoY). Merchandise exports were $7.07bn (up 8.95%) and services $1.93bn (up 4.49%), led by ICT/BPM, EECs, processed foods and coconut products while tea fell 5.69%.

Hayleys Agriculture Holdings opened Hayleys Nature Nest, Sri Lanka's first frozen concentrated coconut water manufacturing facility to produce premium concentrated coconut water for export. The facility is intended to boost value-added agricultural exports and support local coconut growers.

Sri Lanka's Industry Minister Sunil Handunneththi visited India (14–18 July 2026) to advance cooperation in textiles, manufacturing, agribusiness, technology, investment and tourism. He met Indian textile ministers at BharatTex, toured RIICO's industrial park and a Mega Food Park, held a FICCI roundtable and discussed direct air links and investment opportunities.

Companies can cut carbon footprints and reduce energy costs with low-cost steps — upgrading equipment, switching to renewables, optimizing transport, working with suppliers, reducing waste and measuring emissions to find savings.

Hemas Holdings (HHL.N0000) says it has recovered 2.9 million kg of plastic by end-FY2025/26 as part of its Environmental Agenda 2030, pursuing plastic neutrality by 2030 while improving water efficiency, expanding renewables and scaling social/health initiatives.

Consumers increasingly expect ethical, transparent supply chains across clothing, food and electronics, valuing honesty and evidence of remediation over perfection. Companies face reputational and regulatory risk from false claims and must audit and monitor suppliers rather than rely on one-off checks.

Adopting circular economy practices can turn Sri Lanka's municipal, agricultural and industrial waste into economic value through recycling, reuse, and waste-to-energy, improving resource efficiency and creating jobs. Opportunities span manufacturing, construction, agriculture, packaging/retail, and digital technologies for material tracking and financing.

Sri Lankan businesses are increasingly treating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as a strategic driver of innovation, employee retention and investor confidence. Inclusive policies, transparent reporting and supply-chain labour standards are highlighted as ways to boost competitiveness and attract responsible investment.

Ceylon Chamber will host a Business Networking Session with a 30-member Indian Chamber of Commerce delegation on 28 July 2026 at the Hilton Colombo Residences to explore trade, investment and partnerships across sectors including construction, healthcare, IT, renewable energy, tourism and food processing.

A University of Peradeniya study found foods made with 7 Star Chakki Atta are low-GI: chapati GI 45, roti GI 44 (37 with chickpea curry) and puri GI 50, with glycemic loads of 16–19, supporting their suitability as everyday staples.

New Anthoney's is scaling antibiotic-free Harithahari chicken to counter routine antibiotic use in Sri Lanka's poultry, where a study found 98% of farms use antimicrobials and tetracycline resistance reached 81.8%.

Sri Lanka's total exports reached an estimated US$ 9,012.24 Mn in Jan–Jun 2026, up 8% y/y; merchandise exports were US$ 7,073.31 Mn (+8.95%) and services US$ 1,938.94 Mn (+4.49%). Electrical & electronic components, rubber, food & beverages and spices recorded strong gains in June, while apparel exports fell 11.74% y/y.

Sri Lanka's NCPI inflation rose to 6.5% year-on-year in June, up from 5.4% in May, driven mainly by higher food prices. Food inflation climbed to 3.3%, core inflation to 5.0%, and monthly NCPI increased 1.6% to 222.3 points.

Hayleys PLC (via Hayleys Agriculture) opened Sri Lanka's first frozen concentrated coconut water manufacturing facility to produce premium concentrated coconut water for export. The investment is aimed at boosting value-added agricultural exports and supporting local coconut growers.

Sriyani Dress Point held its Annual Staff Awards 2026 at the Monarch Imperial, bringing together more than 1,000 employees to recognise long service and top performers. The retailer operates ten showrooms and plans to open a new Colombo outlet later this year, expecting to add about 300 staff.

Sweden will send a trade delegation to Sri Lanka Expo 2027, Ambassador Jan Thesleff confirmed, with preparations underway to bring Swedish buyers and investors to the Colombo event (14–17 Jan 2027). Discussions identified export opportunities in cinnamon, coconut products, gems & jewellery, apparel and IT services for Nordic markets.

ASPI fell 0.29% to 21,145.73 while the S&P SL20 rose 0.03% to 5,945.01; turnover exceeded Rs.3.2bn with foreign net inflow of Rs.79.8mn and a Rs.2.3bn crossing in Cargills driving volume. Negative contributors included CINS, COMB, RICH, CARS and HARI; Melstacorp, NTB and HNB were also active.

Cargills (Ceylon) PLC dominated CSE trading with block crossings of Rs. 2.26 billion, taking its total turnover to Rs. 2.88 billion and helping push total market turnover to Rs. 3.27 billion. The ASPI fell 62.37 points to 21,145.73, while Melstacorp accounted for Rs. 181 million of turnover.

Sri Lanka's NCPI rose to 6.5% year-on-year in June 2026, up from 5.4% in May, as the All Items index increased 1.6% month-on-month to 222.3. The monthly rise was driven by a 2.5% jump in the Food index (250.5), while non-food inflation stood at 9.3% year-on-year.

Colombo Stock Exchange ASPI fell 0.22% (47.45 pts) to 21,160.65 with turnover Rs 3.28bn, led by food & staples retailing and large crossings dominated by Cargills. Dialog, John Keells, Aitken Spence and Lanka Ashok Leyland were top gainers while Ceylinco Insurance, Harischandra Mills and HNB were top losers.

Sri Lankan exporters must prepare for new EU sustainability rules—EmpCo (from 27 Sep 2026), PPWR (from 12 Aug 2026) and EUDR (due diligence from 30 Dec 2026)—which expand scrutiny of claims and supply chains and carry penalties up to €2m or 4% of turnover.

ASPI fell 0.92% (197.31 pts) to 21,208.10, its lowest in over three months, with 193 counters down and market turnover at around Rs.2.6bn. DIAL, COMB, RICH, JKH and CARS were the major contributors to the decline.

The Attorney General's Department will institute District Court proceedings to recover Rs.6.221 billion in alleged liquor tax arrears from liquor manufacturers; the Supreme Court has fixed further hearings for 16 November.

Colombo Stock Exchange ASPI was up 0.06% at midday (13.19 pts to 21,221.29) with market turnover LKR 358.7m and Food, Beverage & Tobacco leading turnover at LKR 201.3m. Positive contributors included John Keells, Dialog, Aitken Spence and Browns; HNB, DFCC and Ceylon Grain were top negatives; Tess Agro listed 125,000,000 shares effective July 21, 2026.

Ceylon Cold Stores' Elephant House partnered with Eco Spindles on 30 June 2026 to clean Ruwanwelisaya, collecting about 350 kg of plastic bottles that will be processed into monofilaments and yarn. The CSR drive involved 60 volunteers and aimed to raise visitor awareness on waste segregation.