Category: Business and Economy

 Sri Lanka’s official remittances from expatriate workers rose 3.3 percent to US$ 735.6 million in October 2026, official data showed, while they are expected to hit fresh record high in November, analysts said. The total remittances in the first 10 months of the year reached US$7,600.9 million with a 16.5 percent growth, Central Bank data…

Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange was trending lower on Wednesday, a day ahead of the National Budget reading, with the benchmark All Share Price Index moving down 0.27 percent. The ASPI was down 60.10 points at 22,063.29, while the more liquid S&P SL20 was down 0.28 percent, or 17.76 points, at 6,350.36. Positive contributors to…

Proposed long-term programme combines Australian zero-emission bus technology, genuine local chassis and body manufacturing, local battery assembly, skilled employment, and regional and international export potential.   Australian bus manufacturer Custom Denning is planning what would be the biggest investment in electric bus manufacturing in Sri Lanka by an overseas entity, with a proposed facility to manufacture…

The Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka has presented the country’s investment opportunities, incentives and business facilitation framework to British investors and business leaders at a series of promotional events held in London on October 21 and 22. The two-day programme, organised by the Export Development Board (EDB) in collaboration with the Sri Lankan…

SRI Lanka’s tourism arrivals surpassed 1.9 million in 2026, with over 49,900 visitors registered in the first eight days of November, but remained below last year’s pace ahead of the crucial winter season. According to the latest data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), a total of 49,929 tourists arrived between 1…

Sri Lanka’s economic growth has slowed sharply while inflation, youth unemployment and poverty continue to put pressure on the public, former Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said yesterday. Addressing a media briefing, organised by the People’s United Opposition, in Colombo, Prof Peiris said economic growth had declined from 5.8% in the second quarter of 2025…

The Government’s Budget recorded a surplus of Rs. 22.3 billion in the first nine months of 2026, reversing a deficit of Rs. 441.4 billion a year earlier, as revenue from motor vehicle imports drove a 20% increase in collections that outran a slower rise in spending. This is according to the latest Finance, Planning and…

Sri Lanka’s migrant workers sent home a record-breaking $735.6 million in October 2026, marking a 3.31% year-on-year increase and extending an extraordinary streak of robust foreign currency inflows to nine consecutive months. The achievement underscores the remarkable resilience of the nation’s overseas workforce and reflects a decisive shift toward formal banking channels, even as geopolitical…

Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan are looking to further strengthen bilateral relations, with greater cooperation in investment, trade, agriculture, tourism and energy. The matter was discussed when Kazakhstan Ambassador to Sri Lanka Sergey Viktorov met Speaker of Parliament Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne at Parliament recently. The Speaker reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s longstanding friendship with Kazakhstan, since the establishment…

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Ankara, in collaboration with the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, successfully organized the first-ever Sri Lanka Business Forum in Gaziantep on 03 November 2026, bringing together members of the Turkish business community to explore opportunities for closer economic cooperation with Sri Lanka. The Forum aimed at showcasing Sri Lanka’s trade…