Nandalal Weerasinghe says deposit-taking cultivation companies cannot sustain 40% returns, and that only illegal deposit accounts were frozen.
A break on the Colombo-bound track near Wellawatte has delayed Coastal Line services, the Railways Department says. Repair work has started.
Pan Asia Bank's Rs. 5bn debenture closed oversubscribed, Aitken Spence Hotels listed its own, and Sampath Bank is seeking approval to raise up to Rs. 50bn.
Customs collected Rs. 245.9 billion in September against a Rs. 195.6 billion target, and has banked 95.4% of its full-year goal with three months still to run.
Construction of the dedicated jet fuel pipeline to Bandaranaike International Airport starts, ten days after the $40.84m contract was awarded.
NTC Chairman P. A. Chandrapala says the diesel increase was too small to trigger a fare adjustment, leaving bus fares unchanged after the 30 September revision.
Digital signatures became mandatory for customs declarations on 1 October, with 1,144 importers registered. Taxes levied on top of customs duty are to go next year.
Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe says registration begins now, certification by March 2027 and enforcement from April 1, 2027.
Court fined Galle Road restaurant Rs. 1m for overcharging on bottled water sold at Rs. 100 against Rs. 80 gazetted price.
The Financial Crimes Investigation Division is examining mobile lending apps advertised on social media after reports of borrowers being squeezed on repayment.
Committee approved two new Foreign Exchange Regulations and a Section 22 Order. Central Bank signals gradual easing of outflow controls.
Chairman D.J. Rajakaruna puts diesel's cost at Rs. 528 against a Rs. 392 pump price. The state covers Rs. 70 a litre, the CPC absorbs the rest.
August figures put Petrol 95 Rs. 46 a litre above cost while Auto Diesel ran Rs. 47 below it. Last week's price rise has since narrowed the diesel gap.
The ASPI closed Thursday at 20,880.90, up 67.97 points, after trading as high as 20,908 in the morning. Turnover fell to Rs. 1.43 billion.
A $133m surplus ended four straight monthly deficits, helped by a smaller import bill. The cumulative trade deficit has still widened to $7.2bn.
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya opened the Phase II expansion of the Adani-John Keells Colombo West terminal, doubling capacity to 3.2 million TEUs.
Fitch raised BOC's long-term IDRs to 'B-' from 'CCC+' with stable outlook, nine days after upgrading Sri Lanka's sovereign rating.
Government accepted the Central Bank's 5% inflation target at the first statutory review. IMF staff-level deal expected soon.
IRD collections to 30 September ran Rs. 398bn ahead of same period last year, well placed to beat Rs. 2.4 trillion estimate.
Government agencies delivering National Export Development Plan 2026-2030 met to assign accountability and clear bottlenecks in exports.
Price caps on 13 essential medicines produced estimated Rs. 5.7bn saving for state under NMRA regulations.
Export container held 179 artillery shell casings sent to India under rice declaration. Two suspects arrested in CCIB/Customs operation.
The rupee was quoted flat against the dollar on Thursday morning while five of six government bond maturities edged lower, by about 5 basis points each.
Sri Lanka's Ramallah representative invited Palestinian Minister Al-Amur to January 2027 trade expo with public and private sector delegates.