Category: Economy
Sri Lanka’s Economy Hits 5% Growth in 2025; 4.8% Expansion in Q4
The Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) of Sri Lanka has reported a 5.0% GDP growth rate for 2025, with the economy expanding to Rs. 13,128,577 million at constant prices. This positive momentum was supported by a final fourth-quarter growth rate of 4.8%. In nominal terms, the GDP at current prices rose by 8.8% to […]
Macrofinancial Strength Drives Credit Surge in 2025, But Risks Loom: CBSL
Sri Lanka’s macrofinancial conditions strengthened throughout 2025, fueling a major expansion in credit despite persistent external vulnerabilities. According to recent year-end data, the financial sector has shifted its focus heavily toward the private sector, supported by a broad-based recovery and accommodative monetary policy. The banking sector saw credit growth accelerate to 21.4% year-on-year by the […]
Ceylon Chamber Urges Measures to Safeguard Economic Stability Amid Global Uncertainty
The evolving global situation and the escalating conflict in the Middle East requires coordinated measures to safeguard economic stability. The Ceylon Chamber remains ready to work with the Government in addressing potential economic risks and has outlined detailed policy recommendations. The Chamber, in its submission of 11 March 2026, recommended a number of policy measures […]
Sri Lanka’s national Terrorist Financing risk assessed as medium-high: National Risk Assessment 2024/25
Sri Lanka has successfully completed the National Risk Assessment (NRA) 2024/25 on Money Laundering (ML), Terrorist Financing (TF) and Proliferation Financing (PF), in collaboration with a total of 86 governmental organizations, regulatory bodies and private sector institutions. Accordingly, the country’s national Terrorist Financing (TF) risk, a combination of TF threat and vulnerability, was assessed as […]
OPINION – Northern Investment Summit, Jaffna January 2026
By Jekhan Aruliah When the topic of the Northern economy comes up, Jaffna is often criticized for living on remittances. Small transfers, perhaps a hundred US dollars a month, sent by hard working people overseas to their families in Jaffna and the Northern Province. These gifts are said to be ruining Jaffna youth and the […]
IMF Staff Concludes Sri Lanka Visit; Policy Talks for Next EFF Review Set to Resume ASAP
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Evan Papageorgiou, concluded a visit to Colombo conducted from January 22 to 28 to assess the economic impact of Cyclone Ditwah. During the mission, the team engaged with authorities and stakeholders to understand the social and economic damage caused by the storm, specifically regarding infrastructure and livelihoods. […]
Sri Lanka’s Central Bank keeps the overnight policy rate (OPR) unchanged
At its meeting held yesterday, the Monetary Policy Board decided to keep the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) unchanged at 7.75%, citing an assessment of recent domestic economic developments, the outlook ahead, and continuing global uncertainty. The Board is of the view that the current monetary policy stance will support steering inflation towards the target of […]
IFC Invests USD 166 Mn to Support Sri Lankan Businesses & Drive Economic Growth
Reinforcing its longstanding commitment to Sri Lanka’s private sector, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, today announced a high-impact investment program of $166 million to support Sri Lankan businesses and accelerate the country’s transition from economic stabilization to sustainable growth. This comprehensive country-level financing package aims to expand financial […]
Sri Lanka earns LKR 904bn from vehicle import taxes in 2025
January 21 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has earned LKR 904 billion (approx. US$3bn) from vehicle import taxes in 2025. This figure is a massive upside surprise over the 441 billion rupees stated as expected by Deputy Economic Development Minister Nishantha Jayaweera. In 2026, analysts expect tax revenues from vehicle imports to drop significantly unless import […]
IMF Staff to Visit Sri Lanka to Assess Impact of Cyclone Ditwah
Statement by Mr. Evan Papageorgiou, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mission Chief for Sri Lanka: “An IMF staff team will visit Sri Lanka from January 22 to January 28, 2026, to hold discussions with the authorities on the size and scope of the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The findings of the mission will feed into […]
Good Intentions, Bad Economics: The Risks of Intervening in SME Lending Decisions
In the past weeks, newspaper headlines have brought to the forefront a growing narrative that banks are prospering while SMEs are struggling. This outcome has largely been attributed to banks overlooking the impact of external shocks on SMEs and to the current lending frameworks that govern credit markets. Such headlines call for independent statutory mechanisms to probe the fairness of cases leading to credit enforcement. Whilst such concerns are understandable on moral and ethical grounds, urging for artificial interventions in credit markets risks promoting […]
Central Bank’s Gross Official Reserves Surpasses USD 6.8 Bn in Dec 2025, Highest Level Since Crisis
The Central Bank has announced that Gross Official Reserves (GOR) surged to over US dollars 6.8 billion by the end of 2025, marking the highest level of reserves recorded since the economic crisis. This was largely supported by US dollars 2.0 billion in net foreign exchange purchases made by the Central Bank (on value date […]