Sri Lanka bourse delays opening

Wednesday July 1, 2026 10:13 am ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange did not open as usual at 9.30 am on Wednesday. “Opening Market Auction Call has been further extended,” the CSE posted shortly after 10 am. Some brokers said it was due to a technical issue, while o…

Wednesday July 1, 2026 10:13 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange did not open as usual at 9.30 am on Wednesday. “Opening Market Auction Call has been further extended,” the CSE posted shortly after 10 am. Some brokers said it was due to a technical issue, while others said some accounts were suspended. (Colombo/Jul1/2026)

Wednesday July 1, 2026 10:08 am

ECONOMYNEXT – The telegraphic transfer rate for Sri Lanka’s rupee against the US dollar was 331.6619 buying, 341.3051 selling, central bank showed. While the euro was 376.0313 selling, 389.9483 buying; and the pound was 438.3326 buying, 452.3782 selling. An auction of Rs. 100,000 million Treasury bills is ongoing. (Colombo/Jul1/2026)

Wednesday July 1, 2026 9:00 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s construction sector activity expanded in May 2026 as projects resumed following a slowdown the previous month, registering a value of 59.1 on a Purchasing Managers Index compiled by the central bank. “However, persistently elevated prices of key construction materials remained a major concern among many survey respondents, along with shortages of materials such as bitumen,” the central bank said. The New Orders Index expanded in May, registering 63.6 from last month’s 62.9, reflecting “robust construction project awards” during the month. The Employment index continued to expand, boosted by ongoing staff recruitment, registering 56.1 from last month’s 55.9. “However, many survey respondents cited the continued limited availability of skilled workers as a key constraint.” The Quantity of Purchases Index rebounded in May, registering 59.1 from the previous month’s 42.6, in line with the increase in construction activities, CBSL said. The Suppliers’ Delivery Time remained broadly at the previous month’s level. (Colombo/Jun30/2026)

Wednesday July 1, 2026 8:00 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka has sold 6,000 million rupees of bonds offered on tap at average rates set at an auction this week, bringing the total of bonds sold in the week to 66 billion, data from the Public Debt Management Office showed. The issue offered 60 billion rupees. The debt office sold a 15 October 2030 maturity bond (LKB00730J158) at a weighted average yield rate of 11.44 percent. The debt office sold a 15 March 2035 maturity bond (LKB02035C155) at a weighted average yield rate of 11.88 percent. Total market subscription was 31,227 million rupees. On Friday, 60 billion rupees in 2030 and 2035 bonds were sold. Sri Lanka sells Rs60bn in 2030 and 2035 bonds Settlement date is July 1. (Colombo/Jul1/2026)

Tuesday June 30, 2026 5:54 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka should prioritize the reform momentum going forward, the International Monetary Fund’s Mission Chief for Sri Lanka said after concluding staff level discussions with the island nation’s authorities. The Mission headed by Evan Papargeorgiou was in Sri Lanka from June 24 for the discussions. “Looking ahead, the priority is clear – Stay the course and sustain the reform momentum,” Papargeorgiou told reporters at the end of the staff level discussions on Tuesday (30). “External shocks can come and go, but sustaining the reform momentum is what will determine whether Sri Lanka can continue the path forward.” Sri Lanka’s economy is hit by the external shock from the Middle Eastern escalation with fuel prices rising around 50 percent to near record levels. The IMF has already relaxed some targets under its $3 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) due to the possibility of slower growth with higher fuel prices and monetary policy tightening. Papargeorgiou’s comments come as Sri Lankan authorities have dragged critical reforms in key loss-making state-owned enterprises including SriLakan Airlines, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, and Ceylon Electricity Board. (Colombo/June 30/2026)

Tuesday June 30, 2026 4:02 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s overall rate of inflation, as measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI), rose to a three-year high of 6.8 percent in June 2026, near the Central Bank’s upper inflation target rate of 7 percent, data from the state statistics office showed. The Central Bank had expected to reach its mid-term target of 5 percent much later than May, but analysts say the trickle-down impacts of the fuel price hike in the three months through end-June caused prices to rise. The inflation increased from 5.5 percent in May. The June 2026 inflation is the highest since June 2023, the data showed. The island nation’s economy witnessed upward price adjustments after the government raised fuel prices by around 47 percent following a supply shortage due to Middle East escalation, amid higher global oil prices. The widely-watched Colombo Consumer Price Index rose 4.3 points in June to 207.7 points from 203.4 points the previous month. Both food commodities and non-food items contributed to the inflation in May, the data showed. The CCPI recorded an increase of 2.1 percent in June compared to April 2026. The state-owned Statistics office said the rise in June represents an increase in expenditure value of Rs. 3,945.26 in the market basket compared to Rs. 1,625.48 in the previous month. “The month-on-month change was driven by an increase of 1.43% in Food items and an increase of 0.68% in Non-Food items,” the state-run Statistics Department said. Under food items, the highest contributor to the increase was sea fish followed by vegetables, while under non-food items was Transport. The Central Bank last month raised its Overnight Policy Rate by 100 basis points to curb demand-driven inflation, though analysts expect more tighten measure may needed to curb it. (Colombo/June 30/2026)

Tuesday June 30, 2026 3:50 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – A private sector body has met with the International Monetary Fund delegation during its recently concluded staff visit to exchange views on Sri Lanka’s economic progress and the priorities for the second half of the year. “The discussion focused on sustaining macroeconomic stability while creating the conditions for stronger private sector-led growth,” the Ceylon Chamber said. Key themes included enhancing the investment climate, improving the ease of doing business, supporting export expansion, strengthening tourism and agriculture, advancing energy sector reforms, and accelerating digitalisation to improve efficiency across the public sector. “We also emphasised the importance of maintaining policy consistency while allowing the flexibility needed to respond to evolving global and domestic conditions.” The chamber said it continues to engage with the IMF throughout the programme, “ensuring that the experiences and priorities of Sri Lanka’s private sector contribute to policy discussions and support the best possible outcomes for the country’s long-term economic growth and competitiveness”. (Colombo/Jun30/2026)