Lead Story
Reuters – U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Sunday in an interview with ABC’s “This Week” that smartphones, computers and some other electronics will come under separate tariffs, along with semiconductors that may be imposed in a month or so. U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration late on Friday granted exclusions from steep tariffs on such products,…
Featured
SriLankan Airlines has won the ‘Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier – South Asia’ award at the PAX Readership Awards 2025, held on 9 April 2025 in Germany, proving once again its culinary expertise in serving an inflight dining experience that truly stands out. The PAX Readership Awards, presented by PAX International and PAX Tech magazines,…
Siyapatha Finance PLC announced a strong financial performance for the fiscal year 2024 with the highest recorded profit in Siyapatha history, reflecting its strategic expansion, prudent financial management, and resilience in a dynamic economic environment. For the year ended 2024, Siyapatha Finance PLC recorded a net interest income of Rs. 4,534 million, marking a substantial…
New Year with New Hopes SLT-MOBITEL hosted a meaningful Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebration at Rathabalagama Kanishta Vidyalaya in Hambegamuwa, Thanamalwila, combining cultural festivities with effective digital empowerment for the rural school community. The initiative, part of SLT-MOBITEL’s ongoing commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, delivered critical digital infrastructure and educational resources…
Improving the food safety outcomes in today’s globally interconnected food systems, the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) aims to introduce a compendium of terms and definition covering all aspects of the agri-food value chain, from the farm gate to the final consumer. The program aims to establish a common vocabulary to enhance communication and coordination among…
Hemas Hospital Wattala has launched a new Catheterization Lab (CATH Lab), equipped with Sri Lanka’s Most Advanced Technology, marking a major step forward in healthcare landscape. Backed by LKR 1 billion investment, this development expands access to advanced heart diagnostics and life-saving interventions, delivering Precision-Driven Cardiac Care to address a critical need in the nation….
Lina Manufacturing Limited, the pharmaceutical manufacturing arm of Sunshine Holdings PLC, unveiled its new brand identity – a powerful logo that reflects the company’s evolution, vision, and commitment to delivering high-quality, affordable healthcare solutions. The new logo marks a significant milestone in Lina’s brand journey, symbolising a new beginning with a modern identity that stays…
Salon Sudarshani Academy of Haircutting has been awarded as the Most Trending Haircut Training Academy at the Entrepreneurial Excellency Awards organised by the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Community Development (CECD). The award recognises the academy’s commitment to training, job placement, and community service, shaping the futures of thousands of students. Founded 31 years ago with…
The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, in collaboration with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Japan and the Sri Lankan Business Community in Japan, is proud to announce Sri Lanka’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka, which will take place from 13th April to 13th October 2025 in Osaka, Japan. This global event will serve as…
AIA AquaFest 2025, Sri Lanka’s largest and most exhilarating water sports festival spearheaded by AIA Insurance in collaboration with Lankify, was held recently at Galle Face, Colombo. The adrenaline-packed championship featured a diverse range of water sports activities, including sailing, jet skiing, dragon boats and ocean kayaking, against the backdrop of Colombo’s stunning coastline, attracting…
The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC), hosted an Issuer Forum in Gampaha aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in exploring avenues for capital raising through listing on the Colombo Stock Exchange. The forum, titled “Redefining the Trajectory of Your Business”, provided guidance…
Top News
The inflow of workers’ remittances to Sri Lanka in the month of March has been reported as USD 693.3 million. According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), this figure is the second highest monthly inflow on record. The CBSL added, the cumulative figure for the period from January to March 2025 is USD…
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has released key findings of the SRS conducted for the first half of 2025. The SRS quantifies and tracks, market participants’ views on risks to, and their confidence in, the stability of the Sri Lankan financial system. The sampling frame of the survey includes licensed banks, licensed Finance…
Marks significant milestone in US foreign direct investment (FDI) in Sri Lanka Hayleys Fentons Limited, Sri Lanka’s premier one-stop provider for complex engineering services is set to embark on a high-profile project for Shield Restraint Systems Limited in establishing “SHIELD” — a new manufacturing facility within the Wathupitiwala Export Processing Zone (EPZ). This groundbreaking initiative…
Fitch Ratings: Sharp US tariff increases will disrupt corporate supply chains and affect economic growth and corporate earnings in APAC and globally, despite the 90-day pause on some of the larger tariff hikes announced on 2 April, says Fitch Ratings. However, few of our rated APAC corporates face a combination of high sector vulnerability, low…
IMF Staff Team Concludes Visit to Sri Lanka The International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team had very productive discussions with the Sri Lankan authorities on economic performance and policies underpinning the Fourth Review under the IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement. Global uncertainty remains elevated and is contributing to financial market volatility. The government remains…
Reuters – Gold prices breached the key $3,200/oz level for the first time on Friday, fuelled by a weaker dollar and an escalating trade war that sent investors rushing toward safe-haven assets.Spot gold was up 1.4% at $3,217.78 an ounce as of 0350 GMT. Bullion scaled an all-time peak of $3,219.84 earlier in the session, and…
The Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) extends its appreciation to the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and President Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake for their swift and decisive engagement in addressing the recent announcement of US tariffs. JAAF commends the action taken by the GoSL led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, whose timely negotiations with the…
Hon. Speaker, (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne endorsed the certificate on the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill today (11) in Parliament. The Second Reading debate related to the Bill was held on 09.04.2025 and amendments were added to the sad Bill during the Committee Stage. The Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill was then passed in Parliament following…
Analysis
Fitch Ratings: Sharp US tariff increases will disrupt corporate supply chains and affect economic growth and corporate earnings in APAC and globally, despite the 90-day pause on some of the larger tariff hikes announced on 2 April, says Fitch Ratings. However, few of our rated APAC corporates face a combination of high sector vulnerability, low…
Analysis finds cost of ingredients has more than doubled since 2019 The cost of preparing a traditional “kevili” table for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year has increased by 7% in 2025 compared to 2024, and stands more than twice as high as it was in 2019. This was revealed in the annual ‘New Year…
The Hambantota Sinopec Oil Refinery – A Strategic Bet on the Future In the evolving landscape of global energy trade, few moves are as audacious as Sri Lanka’s decision to greenlight a multi-billion-dollar oil refinery in Hambantota. More than an infrastructure project, this refinery signals Sri Lanka’s ambition to reposition itself at the centre of…
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