Business
All 104 Metro buses enter service on Tuesday across seven Western Province routes
Lanka Metro Transit adds five routes to the two already running, taking the network to seven. Fares and timetables are still unpublished.
Business
1697 stories 
Business
Deputy minister warns public off high-return investment schemes, publishes yield benchmarks
Chathuranga Abeysinghe set out normal returns across Treasury bills, deposits and equities, saying anything far above them signals a Ponzi structure.
Business
Sri Lanka asks Russia for vessels and cold storage to modernise deep-sea fishing
Fisheries Minister Chandrasekar pressed Moscow's envoy on tuna, prawn and crab exports, Russian fishing technology and investment in harbours and cold chain.
Business
Upcountry trains to Peradeniya and Gampola resume from October 2 after Ditwah repairs
Upcountry trains to resume services from October 2 after Ditwah disaster repair completion.
Business
Vidullanka ventures win bids for 18.7MW of battery storage at solar plants
Four Vidullanka-linked ventures placed winning bids for 18.7MW/93MWh of battery storage, at an estimated Rs. 600 million in equity investment.
Business
ADB trims developing Asia growth to 5% for 2026, flags El Niño hit to harvests and hydropower
ADB's September outlook lifts South Asia's 2026 forecast to 6.4%, warns El Niño will raise food and energy prices.
Business
CAA seizes 1,400 plastic and baby feeding bottles in 144 islandwide raids
The Consumer Affairs Authority seized over 1,400 reusable plastic and baby feeding bottles in 144 islandwide raids over SLS certification.
Business
Central Bank invites bids for an enterprise data solution
CBSL has called for expressions of interest in an enterprise data system to strengthen its data management and analytics, with a 26 October deadline.
Business
President announces Rs. 41 billion fuel subsidy for October, November and December
Dissanayake says a Cabinet paper for the three-month allocation goes before ministers on Monday, covering fuel price revisions from October.
Business
PM sets out eco-tourism push as Sri Lanka targets 4 million visitors by 2030
Harini Amarasuriya said tourism revenue must reach village-level entrepreneurs, as a Smart Tourism Platform was launched for Alawala in Gampaha.
Business
President says property tax agreed with IMF has been deferred and kept out of the third budget
Dissanayake told a Gampaha rally the tax was due in 2025 under a deal struck by the previous government, and has been excluded from the 2027 Budget.
Business
New rooftop solar connections restricted to Net Plus as engineers warn of consumer losses
Net Metering and Net Accounting are closed to new systems. The Energy Minister calls the shift a Cabinet decision; engineers say it doubles payback periods.
Business
Tea and coconut output fall over the first seven months; rubber holds steady
Central Bank data show year-on-year declines in tea and coconut production from January to July, with July's tea fall the mildest of the year so far.
Business
Sri Lanka 10th among world's fastest-improving tourism economies in WEF index
The Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026 puts Sri Lanka's score up 4.3% since 2024, but affordability and workforce gaps weigh on the gain.
Business
Credit bureau reports record 2025 as report volumes jump 41% to 13.46 million
CRIB's revenue rose 45% to Rs. 2.41 billion for the year to December 2025. Its 36th AGM was held on 9 September; the results surfaced in the press this week.
Business
Colombo bourse closes mixed week as foreign selling passes Rs. 57bn for the year
First Capital Research put the ASPI at 21,038 for the week to 26 September. The closing levels hold up; several of the week-on-week comparisons do not.
Business
Government weighs diesel subsidy of Rs. 80 to Rs. 100 a litre from end of month
Energy Minister says diesel subsidy of Rs. 80-100/litre under consideration pending retailer loss review.
Business
Energy Minister rejects claims government is throttling rooftop solar
Energy Minister denies solar curtailment. Ground-mounted capacity 370 MW per NewsFirst, resolving prior discrepancies.
Business
Government will exit IMF programme when EFF expires in March 2027, says Bimal Rathnayake
Minister Bimal Rathnayake says the government will let the four-year EFF lapse in March 2027 and sees no need for a new debt-restructuring programme.
Business
Police warn leasing firms: seize a vehicle by force and you face criminal charges
Sri Lanka Police set out the Finance Leasing Act procedure for repossession, warning that forced seizures can bring robbery and criminal trespass charges.
Business
Apparel, tea and coconut drag August goods exports down 1%, as one service sector carries the month
August merchandise exports declined 1% to US$1.27bn; transport and logistics surged 51% to become Sri Lanka's largest services export.
Business
S&P and Moody's rating lag could derail Sri Lanka's 2027 bond plans, CAL warns
Ratings lag could delay Sri Lanka's planned $1.5bn bond issue if S&P and Moody's don't follow Fitch before IMF programme ends.
Business
CSE drifts lower on thin turnover as post-upgrade retail interest fades
The ASPI slipped 29.54 points to 21,037.35 on Friday as turnover fell to Rs. 814.88 million, though the S&P SL20 edged higher.
Business
Drought compensation reaches first 1,490 farmers, with Rs. 57 million paid out
The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board says 6,062 farmers have applied over 7,957 acres. About one in four has been paid so far.