Developing Asia remained the world’s largest destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) among developing regions in 2025. But the region’s significance increasingly lies not only in the volume of investment it attracts, but also where within the region that investment is going. That shift matters for development because FDI can help economies move into higher-value…
The Price Index for New Condominiums in the Colombo District reached 284.4 in the first quarter of 2026, marking a significant year-on-year increase of 18.5 percent. Despite this price appreciation, the Condominium Property Sales Volume Index experienced a year-on-year decrease of 15.2 percent, indicating a slowdown in market activity across Colombo and other major cities….
Economic confidence edges up although the future is being viewed with caution Confidence in the economy improved marginally in June as the corporate community adopted a cautiously optimistic outlook – despite persistent concerns over rising costs, geopolitical tensions and broader economic uncertainties. THE ECONOMY The latest LMD-PEPPERCUBE Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey, conducted in the…
Oil palm cultivation in Sri Lanka has for many years been surrounded by strong public debate. Among the most common allegations is that oil palm degrade soil, accelerates erosion, loss of understory biodiversity and weakens the environmental health of plantation landscapes. These concerns must not be dismissed lightly, because soil functions as the vital matrix…
Fitch Ratings: Institutional investor engagement across Asia in June 2026 reveals a strong focus on structural and increasingly embedded risks, Fitch Ratings says. Artificial intelligence (AI) disruption, private credit expansion and sovereign risk have dominated conversations among leading investment teams and official-sector participants in Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore and Tokyo. AI and digital infrastructure overspend…
The external sector performance continued to reflect the impact of the war in the Middle East, with the current account recording a deficit for the second consecutive month in May 2026. The external current account recorded a deficit of US$ 194 million in May 2026, mainly driven by the widened trade deficit, a moderation in…
The Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, in collaboration with Port City Colombo, has co-authored and internationally published an academic case study and accompanying teaching notes for students, examining the project’s potential role in shaping Sri Lanka’s long-term economic future. Published by Nova Publishers, New York, USA, the study titled “Port…
Rupee depreciation and fuel hikes amid geopolitical tensions weigh on business sentiment June’s economic narrative remained complex as fuel price revisions, currency volatility and geopolitically driven inflationary pressures continued to test the resilience of Sri Lanka’s fragile recovery. The Sri Lankan Rupee came under pressure in June amid heightened external sector challenges with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka…
Sri Lanka has earned a prestigious spot in the 2026 global medical tourism landscape, ranking 49th among the world’s most sought-after healthcare destinations. The island nation is increasingly recognized for its sophisticated “integrated healthcare journeys,” which combine high-quality clinical procedures in fields like cardiology, oncology, and fertility treatment with world-renowned Ayurveda traditions. From the advanced…
Fitch Ratings: The formation of an El Niño weather phenomenon that is set to persist into early 2027 raises the risk of economic disruption in a range of sovereigns, says Fitch Ratings. Fitch is unlikely to link rating actions directly to El Niño unless the effects are clearly reflected in credit metrics, but related environmental…
Video Story
