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Is an increase in the tobacco tax incidence a practical policy option in Sri Lanka?
By Sri Lal Somaweera The recent COPF discussions sparked debate on a push to raise Sri Lanka’s tax on cigarettes to be 75% of the price of the cigarette. This has resurfaced policy discussions, echoing a longstanding recommendation from the World Health Organization’s (WHO). Their aim is clear: discourage smoking, improve public health, and boost […]
VIDEO: Apple CEO Tim Cook wants to work with suppliers to move more chip production to US
Pres. Trump and Apple CEO Tim Cook speak in the Oval Office on Apple’s latest manufacturing announcement.
Beneficial Ownership Law Enacted with TISL’s Amendments for Enhanced Transparency & Accountability
The Speaker, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, endorsed the certificate on the Companies (Amendment) Bill on 04 August and accordingly, the Companies (Amendment) Act No. 12 of 2025 is now enacted. Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) welcomes the constructive response of the Attorney General to the concerns raised in TISL’s petition filed in the Supreme Court challenging […]
EDB Addresses US Tariff Challenge with Industry Leaders
Government officials and export sector representatives unite to address 20% US tariff impact on Sri Lankan goods The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) held a successful discussion today (06th) regarding the 20% tariff recently imposed by the United States on Sri Lankan goods. High-level government officials and numerous export sector representatives gathered for this […]
Sri Lanka’s nation branding should not bet on gambling: MTI Consulting
The grand launch of the Melco-operated City of Dreams has sparked bold comparisons, with some advocating for Sri Lanka to become the “Macau of India.” While MTI Consulting acknowledges the economic potential of a vibrant casino sub-brand, it strongly cautions that Sri Lanka’s nation brand must not be ‘hijacked’ by the gambling industry. MTI urges Sri Lankan […]
Sri Lanka promotes AI– investment opportunities and disrupt Asia-2025 in London
A panel discussion to promote investment opportunities in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Sri Lanka, jointly organised by the Sri Lanka–UK Chamber of Commerce – London (SLUKCC) and the High Commission of Sri Lanka, was held on 31 July 2025 at the High Commission premises. The panel featured a distinguished group of professional and academic including Dean […]
ComBank’s Rs. 15 bn Green Bond issue oversubscribed on opening day
Investors demonstrated overwhelming support for the green lending aspirations of the Commercial Bank of Ceylon, leading to the oversubscription of the Bank’s Rs. 15 billion Green Bond on its opening day, Monday 4th August 2025. The Green Bond Issue comprised of an initial issue of 100 million Basel III Compliant – Tier 2 Listed Rated […]
WealthOS achieves prestigious WealthTech100 recognition for 3rd consecutive year
WealthOS, a pioneering cloud-native operating system (SaaS) for digital wealth management products, today announced its inclusion in the prestigious global WealthTech100 list for the third year running. The WealthTech100 is an annual list curated by FinTech Global, identifying the 100 most innovative wealth tech companies in the world. With over 1,200 tech companies in the […]
US Effective Tariff Rate from all trading partners settles at 17-pct with July 31 duties: Fitch Ratings
Fitch Ratings has updated the U.S. Effective Tariff Rate (ETR) Monitor, its interactive tariff tool, reflecting the July 27 and July 31 announcements that set new reciprocal tariff rates for most trading partners. The U.S. effective tariff rate is now 17% — about 8 percentage points lower than our April 3, 2025, estimate when higher […]
CCC applauds Government for securing 20-pct tariff rate on US exports
The Ceylon Chamber of Coconut Industries extends its sincere appreciation to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the negotiating team for securing a reduced 20% reciprocal tariff from the United States. As our largest export market for coconut products, this achievement marks a critical win for the industry, helping Sri Lankan exporters compete more fairly with […]