News & market updates

First Capital Holdings PLC held its Mid-Year Outlook Investor Forum on 17 July, extending its LKR/USD target to 300–310 to December 2025 and setting an ASPI target of 18,000–19,000 for 2025. The forum also forecast mild rupee depreciation to 305–315 in H1 2026, ASPI 21,000–22,000 in 2026, and AWPR easing to 7.5–8.5% before edging up next year.

Planters’ Association warns a 30% US tariff on Sri Lankan tea and rubber, effective 1 August, will threaten exports and livelihoods. The US imported 6.4m kg of Ceylon tea ($45m) in 2024 and Sri Lanka ships about $330m of rubber to the US; PA urges government relief and temporary support measures.

The U.S. and EU agreed a framework imposing a 15% tariff on most EU goods, halving the threatened rate and averting a broader trans-Atlantic trade war. The deal exempts certain items (including aircraft and some generics), forecasts large EU purchases of U.S. energy and arms, and leaves many details to be negotiated.

Continental Insurance Lanka appointed Dr. Naomal Balasuriya and Dr. K. Thiyagarajah Iraivan to its Board; both bring extensive healthcare, management and governance experience and have prior links to Melstacorp and Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka.

Ayuwanna by Barberyn will host 'Sacred Healing', a two-day Ayurveda workshop on Aug 2–3, 2025, featuring nine expert-led sessions; single sessions cost Rs.2,500, a 5‑session pass (with lunch) Rs.10,000 and a weekend pass (with lunch) Rs.17,500. RSVP via WhatsApp to +94 741 006 401.

Suwasevana Hospital signed an MoU with the Sri Lanka Army to provide concessionary healthcare benefits including waived admission fees, free OPD consultations, 20% discounts on diagnostics/radiology/room charges, Rs.50,000 off coronary bypass and free ambulance within 10km.

Fems launched the 'Api Katha Karamu' menstrual health education programme on 9 July 2025, delivering sessions to over 3,500 students across 14 schools in Puttalam and Kurunegala and aiming to reach 180,000 students nationwide.

First Capital Holdings PLC held its Mid‑Year Outlook Investor Forum on 17 July 2025, forecasting an LKR/USD target of 300–310 to Dec 2025, ASPI 18,000–19,000 for 2025 (21,000–22,000 in 2026) and AWPR down to 7.5%–8.5% after a likely 25bp cut. The virtual forum drew 900+ registrations, was run in Sinhala, Tamil and English, and featured panelists from Hemas and Access Engineering.

TRACE has opened applications for its 2025 Research & Development Grant offering up to Rs. 500,000 per project; applications are open until 31 August. The grant is available to university students, academic staff, startups and independent researchers across areas including healthcare, sustainability and AI.

Sri Lanka High Commissioner Dharmapala Weerakkody met DCCI Vice President Md. Salem Sulaiman in Dhaka to follow up on a DCCI business delegation (16–20 June 2025) that yielded more than 450 B2B meetings and identified opportunities in pharmaceuticals, ICT, education, healthcare and tourism. Both sides committed to further collaboration to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation.

Sri Lanka will grant one-year visas to Maldivian citizens from August 1, restoring longer-term visas. The change aims to boost visits including health tourism; Maldives allows visa-free entry to Sri Lankans.

Sunshine Holdings (CSE: SUN) reported consolidated FY25 revenue of Rs. 59.3 billion, a 7.0% YoY increase driven by double-digit growth in Healthcare (55% of group revenue). The group also held its SUN Awards 2025 recognising employee achievements across healthcare, consumer goods and agribusiness.

Citi Sri Lanka marked the 20th Global Community Day with volunteer activities in Waga, Avissawella, feeding over 400 residents, running a free health screening for seniors, distributing dry rations to 100+ families and improving a local school's infrastructure.

Forte Diagnostics launched Sri Lanka’s first AI-powered medical diagnostics and health data visualisation platform in partnership with India’s Health Vectors. The platform will provide interactive, AI-analysed, visually rich diagnostic reports to patients and clinicians.

Vision Care Hearing Solutions, a subsidiary of Vision Care, opened a new independent Audiology Unit in Panadura (233 Galle – Colombo Road), its sixth specialised audiology centre, offering advanced diagnostics, real ear measurements for hearing-aid fittings, ENT consultations and speech & language therapy.

Allianz Insurance Lanka Ltd. held the second session of its Drug Prevention Awareness Program at Hemamali Maha Vidyalaya, Galahitiyawa, reaching over 350 students with education on early prevention, risks of drug use and resisting peer pressure.

AIA Insurance and PodHub released the fourth episode of their 'Rethink Healthy' podcast featuring Noeline Pereira, founder of Noeline’s salon chain, highlighting personal, mental and community-focused wellness as part of the campaign.

Sri Lanka's NMRA has issued formulas to set Maximum Retail Prices (MRP) and Maximum Ceiling Prices (MCP) for drugs, with MRPs calculated as CIF + duties/taxes + Supply Chain Total Markup and reviews every six months. The MRP will use the average three‑month USD exchange rate and MCPs will be set using internal/external reference pricing and retail checks.

Sri Lankan Embassy in Berlin held an 'Explore Sri Lanka' tourism promotion on 15 July 2025 targeting German senior citizens to encourage longer stays focused on wellness and Ayurveda; the event drew more than 100 participants.

CarePolicy.US, a Sri Lankan‑founded home-health technology and consulting company, recorded over $500,000 in revenue in its first year. The firm offers an AI-integrated SaaS platform and consulting that streamlines state-specific licensing and operations for U.S. home-care providers.

DIMO (Diesel & Motor Engineering PLC) held DIMO Mega Fiesta – Jaffna 2025 from 24–28 June, offering free technical inspections and up to 50% discounts on genuine Tata spare parts for commercial vehicles. The campaign also provided on-site leasing/insurance consultations and free health check-ups for customers.

Samsung Sri Lanka hosted B2B Summit 2025 with 180+ stakeholders, showcasing Knox enterprise security, rugged Galaxy XCover 7 and Tab Active 5 devices, and commercial HVAC and display solutions to drive digital transformation across healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, education and hospitality.

Fitch Ratings revised the U.S. Effective Tariff Rate (ETR) Monitor to 19.4% from 14.1%, citing higher reciprocal tariffs and a 50% copper duty coming into force on Aug. 1, 2025. Fitch says an additional 25% tariff on semiconductors and related goods could lift the ETR to about 23.7%.

The Export Development Board's Export Agriculture Division held a workshop in Kandy on developing ayurvedic and herbal cosmetic products for export, attended by about 100 stakeholders and covering manufacturing, packaging, regulatory compliance and digital marketing; two more programmes are planned in 2025.

Sri Lanka is negotiating a US offer to grant duty-free access on about 70–80% of a 1,161-item list (over 800 goods), including 42 agricultural items and possibly apparel, with details withheld during talks. The US has also proposed a 30% tariff on Sri Lankan exports from Aug 1 and Sri Lanka imposed an extra 10% export tax in April.

The EDB held an awareness workshop in Kandy on developing ayurvedic and herbal cosmetic products for export, attended by about 100 stakeholders and covering manufacturing, packaging, regulatory compliance, export market opportunities and digital marketing.

Link Natural Products, a subsidiary of CIC Holdings, ran World Environment Day sustainability activities, planting 300 indigenous medicinal plants at a Navy camp, over 500 trees in the Kelani River valley and 400 perennial plants along Nallanthinniya–Maskeliya. Its 'Saara Osu' programme will have distributed Rs.32 million to outgrower farmers by end 2024/25.

BOI and AHK Sri Lanka held a 14 July debrief after President Anura Kumara Disanayake’s June 2025 Germany visit; 15 German companies signalled interest across healthcare, finance, logistics, tourism, renewables, manufacturing and services. Investors urged policy consistency, macro stability, transparent procurement and easier business processes, and a steering committee was proposed.

EDB opened strategic talks with the NIRDC on 7 July to explore R&D support aimed at strengthening Sri Lanka’s pharmaceutical sector and boosting exports. Stakeholders urged government-backed R&D, development of local API manufacturing, and stronger industry–academia links to drive innovation and production upgrades.