Sri Lanka ports in focus as Colombo hosts maritime forum

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:42 am ECONOMYNEXT — The Colombo International Maritime and Logistics Conference (CIMC) will focus on how standard practices must evolve into comprehensive logistics zones to capitalize on Sri Lanka’s geographic advantages. “Free ports give that edge ove…

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:42 am

ECONOMYNEXT — The Colombo International Maritime and Logistics Conference (CIMC) will focus on how standard practices must evolve into comprehensive logistics zones to capitalize on Sri Lanka’s geographic advantages. “Free ports give that edge over standard port to port business. The industry is now valued over trillions of dollars and growing,” the organizers said. The conference, scheduled to take place from September 9 to 11, 2026, at the Radisson Blu Hotel Galadari in Colombo, is organized by CIMC Events in collaboration with the Shippers’ Academy Colombo and Shippers’ Academy International. The event arrives as global trade routes face intense middle eastern disruptions, rising cost escalations, and shipping vulnerabilities at key maritime choke points, pushing global supply chains to look for reliable regional options. Sri Lanka’s strategically placed ports are seeing renewed global interest to service these shifting trade requirements. Experts note that standard transshipment alone is no longer enough to build a modern maritime economy. The forum will also address critical operational segments like ship bunkering infrastructure, marine engineering, and dry docking. For the first time in South Asia, the Chairman of the United States Federal Maritime Commission will deliver a keynote address, detailing U.S. policy frameworks and competitive regulations designed to support international ocean transportation. Additionally, delegations from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and regional players will break down necessary port policy reforms and India’s rapid industrial growth. The event will conclude with a multi-party-political fireside chat designed to challenge local lawmakers on implementing modern strategic frameworks to boost the sector’s economic footprint. (Colombo/Jul16/2026)

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:41 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange indices were trading up on Thursday morning, CSE data showed, with the benchmark All Share Price Index moving up 0.14 percent. The ASPI was up 29.70 points at 21,447.50, while the more liquid S&P SL20 was up 0.35 percent, or 21.05 points, at 6,009.67. Positive contributors to the ASPI were Dialog Axiata (up 1.83 percent at 44.40 rupees), John Keells Holdings (up 0.50 percent at 20.00 rupees), Central Finance Company (up 1.39 percent at 219.00 rupees), People’s Leasing & Finance (up 2.45 percent at 20.90 rupees), and Hemas Holdings (up 0.63 percent at 31.90 rupees). Carson Cumberbatch (down 1.27 percent at 700.00 rupees) and Ambeon Holdings (down 2.19 percent at 35.70 rupees) were top negative contributors. Market turnover was 229 million rupees. Banks led turnover with 74.9 million rupees. Lanka Realty Investments announced the receipt of 1.05 billion rupees from Lee Hedges on June 30, 2026, representing the final balance consideration plus interest for the sale of its 51 percent stake in Lanka Realty Developments. Lanka Realty Investments shares were trading up 1.67 percent at 54.90 rupees. Meanwhile, Asia Asset Finance announced a fixed, non-cumulative preference dividend of 0.70 rupees per preference share for the 2025/2026 financial year, with direct bank account credits scheduled for July 31, 2026. (Colombo/July16/2026)

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:31 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee was quoted at 336.30/45 to the US dollar in the spot market on Thursday, from 336.30/40 the previous day, while bond yields were broadly steady, dealers said. The telegraphic transfer rate for the dollar was 331.80 buying, 340.80 selling; the euro was 377.8715 buying, 391.7885 selling; and the pound was 447.7701 buying, 461.8157 selling. A bond maturing on 15.12.2029 was quoted flat at 11.10/20 percent. A bond maturing on 01.03.2030 was quoted at 11.30/35 percent. A bond maturing on 01.08.2030 was quoted flat at 11.50/55 percent. A bond maturing on 15.10.2030 was quoted at 11.55/62 percent, up from 11.56/60 percent. A bond maturing on 15.03.2031 was quoted at 11.60/70 percent. A bond maturing on 01.12.2031 was quoted at 11.65/75 percent. A bond maturing on 01.11.2033 was quoted at 11.90/12.00 percent. A bond maturing on 15.06.2034 was quoted at 12.00/10 percent, down from 12.05/10 percent. A bond maturing on 15.10.2034 was quoted at 12.00/15 percent. (Colombo/Jul16/2026)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 6:07 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Revenue collected by Sri Lanka Customs in the first 14 days of July accounted for over 65 percent of the month, official data showed, as the island nation is likely to outperform the target for the seventh consecutive month. Customs’ July revenue target has been set at 192.4 billion rupees. But the revenue collecting body has already collected 125.2 billion rupees in the first 14 days of this month, official data showed. The revenue collecting body has already exceeded monthly targets in the last six straight months and achieved 68.2 percent of this year’s target through July 14, official data showed. Customs has been accelerating container clearance using digital scanning to reduce corruption and fast-track the clearance process. Last year, Customs collected a record 2,551 billion rupees in revenues, higher than a revised target of 2,241 billion rupees for the year, achieving 64.2 percent higher revenue than the previous year’s revenue of 1,553 million rupees. Customs has set a revenue target of 2,207 billion rupees for this year, 13.5 percent less than last year as it expects a significant decline in car imports. Sri Lanka Customs’ revenue jump is largely due to stronger enforcement, improved valuation practices, and a rebound in import volumes after years of contraction. Following the economic crisis of 2022, imports fell sharply as the country imposed restrictions to conserve foreign exchange. However, with the stabilization of reserves, the relaxation of certain import controls, and a steady recovery in consumer demand, customs collections from import duties, excise, and other levies have risen. Officials note that tighter monitoring of under-invoicing and misdeclaration of goods has also contributed to boosting state revenue. The combined effect of increased import activity, currency movements, and stricter enforcement has positioned Customs as one of the top revenue sources for the Treasury in 2025, providing a vital cushion as the state works to meet fiscal targets under the IMF-supported program. (Colombo/July 15/2026)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 6:00 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee closed at 336.30/40 to the US dollar in the spot market on Wednesday, from 336.00/20 the previous day, while bond yields closed marginally higher, dealers said. The telegraphic transfer rate for the dollar was 331.80 buying, 340.80 selling; the euro was 376.9803 buying, 390.8973 selling; and the pound was 443.7513 buying, 457.7969 selling. A bond maturing on 15.09.2027 closed at 10.40/50 percent, up from 10.35/50 percent. A bond maturing on 15.12.2029 closed at 11.10/20 percent down from 11.10/30 percent. A bond maturing on 15.05.2030 closed at 11.40/50 percent, up from 11.35/50 percent. A bond maturing on 01.08.2030 closed at 11.50/55 percent, up from 11.48/55 percent. A bond maturing on 15.10.2030 closed flat at 11.56/60 percent. A bond maturing on 15.06.2034 closed at 12.05/10 percent, up from 12.00/05 percent. A bond maturing on 01.07.2037 closed at 12.55/60 percent. (Colombo/Jul15/2026)

Wednesday July 15, 2026 4:15 pm

Fitch Ratings-New York: Global data center development and debt capital requirements are rapidly growing, driven by AI-related capacity expansion, cloud computing demand and broader digital transformation. Fitch Ratings’ latest report examines how we approach the market’s evolution, including the distinctions between structured finance (SF) and project finance (PF) analysis and the key risks shaping credit outcomes. The ABS data center market has roughly doubled over the last two years, while the CMBS data center market has approximately tripled, albeit from a smaller base. We expect digital infrastructure securitizations broadly to grow by more than 40% in 2026. ABS and CMBS are selectively adopting features from each another, particularly in asset disposition mechanics and anticipated repayment date (ARD) structures. As in CMBS, data center assets with the strongest profiles, including location in primary markets, deep and diversified tenant demand, dense fiber connectivity, low latency and competitive power economics, may support ‘AAAsf’ ratings in ABS transactions. PF investment-grade data centers typically have low completion risk, creditworthy counterparties and strong creditor protections. Counterparty and cash flow considerations are central to our SF and PF analysis, and the report also discusses hyperscaler counterparty considerations, long-term data center cash flow durability, and Fitch’s analysis of overbuilding and technological obsolescence risks. Hyperscale facilities are usually rated as a PF asset at the construction stage and are increasingly refinanced by ABS or CMBS once the project is operational. Long-term leases to large, highly rated counterparties provide strong near-term cash flow visibility, but a lease non-renewal or credit event can have an outsized performance impact. AI training facilities and large data center campuses are tapping private credit and infrastructure fund financing to address complex construction financing needs. Completion risk, considered in our PF analysis, is growing due to increasing project scale, ambitious construction schedules, supply chain and labor issues, permitting and zoning challenges, utility power connectivity constraints, and behind-the-meter power generation development.

Wednesday July 15, 2026 3:06 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange closed flat on Wednesday trading, CSE data showed, with the benchmark All Share Price Index moving up a marginal 0.01 percent. The ASPI was up 1.44 points at 21,426.43, while the more liquid S&P SL20 was up 0.09 percent, or 5.16 points, at 6,002.16. Positive contributors to the ASPI were Cargills (Ceylon) (up 2.77 percent at 648.50 rupees), Haycarb (up 5.08 percent at 175.75 rupees), John Keells Holdings (up 0.51 percent at 19.90 rupees), and Ceylon Cold Stores (up 2.42 percent at 127.00 rupees). Dialog Axiata (down 1.58 percent at 43.60 rupees), Hatton National Bank (down 0.57 percent at 390.00 rupees), Central Finance Company (down 1.37 percent at 216.00 rupees), and Commercial Bank of Ceylon (down 0.37 percent at 201.50 rupees) were top negative contributors. Market turnover was 1.22 billion rupees. Banks led turnover with 327.4 million rupees. Crossings were recorded in Hayleys (233,000 shares), John Keells Holdings (1,020,000 shares), Central Finance Company (96,826 shares), Sampath Bank (500,000 shares), Chevron Lubricants Lanka (147,893 shares), and Hatton National Bank (99,788 non-voting shares). Digital Mobility Solutions Lanka disclosed that its Director/CEO Jiffry Zulfer Hassen and Director/CCO Khairul Tasnim Salie exercised options under the company’s Employee Share Option Plan (ESOP), allotting 80,555 shares and 42,500 shares respectively at an exercise price of 76.41 rupees. Digital Mobility Solutions Lanka shares closed down 0.30 percent at 163.75 rupees. (Colombo/July15/2026)