The escalating war situation in the Middle East and global geopolitical issues continued to aggravate the declining trend in the CSE yesterday, market analysts pointed out.

The possibility of an increase in global oil prices weighed in as a crucial factor.

Amid those developments both indices moved downwards. The All Share Price Index went down by 78.2 points, while the S and P SL20 declined by 1.2 points. Turnover stood at Rs 6.8 billion with nine crossings.

Those crossings were reported in Hayleys, which crossed 7.3 million shares to the tune of Rs 1.23 billion; its shares traded at Rs 165, Commercial Bank 2.9 million shares crossed for Rs 450 million and its shares traded at Rs 155, Sampath Bank 950,000 shares crossed for Rs 115 million; its shares traded at Rs 122, LB Finance 870,000 shares crossed for Rs 103 million, its shares traded at Rs 120, Keells Hotels 5 million shares crossed for Rs 100 million; its shares traded at Rs 20, Seylan Bank 500,000 shares crossed for Rs 38.5 million; its shares sold at Rs 77, Lanka Aluminium 600,000 shares crossed for Rs 25.5 million; its shares traded at Rs 42.50, Sunshine Holdings one million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 22 million; its shares traded at Rs 25 and JKH one million shares crossed for Rs 21.9 million; its shares sold at Rs 21.90.

In the retail market top six companies that mainly contributed to the turnover were; Sampath Bank Rs 422 million (4.8 million shares traded), Hayleys Rs 324 million (1.9 million shares traded), JKH Rs 251 million (1.4 million shares traded), Access Engineering Rs 158 million (3.8 million shares traded), People’s Leasing and Finance Rs 134 million (7.2 million shares traded) and HNB Rs 130 million (403,000 shares traded). During the day 175 million shares volumes changed hands in 28000 transactions.

It is said that the manufacturing sector, especially the Hayleys crossing, played an important role, while the banking and finance sector performed well, especially Sampath Bank.

Yesterday, the rupee was trading at Rs 300.15/30 to the US dollar in the spot market, against yesterday’s close of Rs 300.90/301.15, dealers said, while bond yields were broadly steady.

A bond maturing on 15.12.2026 was quoted at 8.00/10 percent, down from 8.00/12 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.09.2027 was quoted at 8.45/55 percent, up from 8.44/55 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.02.2028 was quoted at 8.80/90 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.09.2028 was quoted at 8.90/9.00 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.12.2029 was quoted at 9.50/53 percent, up from 9.48/52 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.12.2032 was quoted at 10.32/35 percent, up from 10.30/35 percent.

By Hiran H Senewiratne

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Facilities to hold the 26th Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Tea of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the 4th Annual Meeting of the Asian Tea Alliance to commemorate the Centenary Anniversary of the Tea Research Institute in Colombo from 9th November to 14th November in 2025 and to take necessary steps in that respect.

IMF First Deputy Managing Director tells Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s long and difficult journey from economic collapse to cautious recovery reached a critical milestone as President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, IMF First Deputy Managing Director, Dr. Gita Gopinath, and Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe addressed the high-profile “Sri Lanka’s Road to Recovery: Debt and Governance” conference yesterday in Colombo.

The event, jointly organized by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), the Ministry of Finance and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), underscored the urgency of sustaining reform momentum while opening a new chapter in the country’s 75-year partnership with the IMF.

With macroeconomic stability returning but fragility still looming, the message from all three leaders was clear: Sri Lanka cannot afford to backslide.

“This must be the last IMF programme for Sri Lanka, Dr. Gopinath stated firmly in her keynote speech. “We’ve had 16 before this—about half ended prematurely. Reform fatigue, policy reversals and lost discipline cannot be repeated. This time must be different.”

While the conference primarily focused on public financial management, debt sustainability, and governance, the implications for Sri Lanka’s business environment were unmistakable. According to Gopinath, structural reforms, transparent fiscal management and improved governance are not abstract policy ideals — they are the essential foundations for restoring investor confidence, revitalizing private enterprise and building a resilient economy.

“Comprehensive governance reform can raise GDP by over 7% and reduce debt-to-GDP by more than six percentage points over the next decade, Gopinath noted, citing IMF internal analysis. “These are not just theoretical benefits — they are real, measurable returns for the private sector, job creation, and inclusive growth.”

Dr. Weerasinghe echoed this sentiment, stating that the IMF-supported programme “has laid the groundwork for macroeconomic fundamentals essential for sustained growth. He emphasized that Sri Lanka’s financial institutions and monetary authorities are now better equipped to support private sector-led recovery, pointing to a stabilizing rupee, single-digit inflation and restored investor interest.

“With improved credit ratings and Sri Lankan bonds being re-included in global indices, capital markets are beginning to show signs of life, said Dr. Weerasinghe. “This creates a platform for increased foreign direct investment (FDI), trade expansion, and domestic entrepreneurial activity.”

President Dissanayake opened the conference with a stark reminder of the human cost of Sri Lanka’s economic collapse. He called for economic leadership that not only addresses balance sheets but also rights wrongs of the past.

“We lost three critical things — one in our economy, two in our country, and three in our people, he said. “We must recover what was lost. And we can only do that through trust, transparency and inclusive policies.”

Dissanayake acknowledged the sacrifices made by the public — especially the most vulnerable — and emphasized that public buy-in is essential to the success of reform. “The people of this country have already shown their willingness to endure hardship in service of recovery. It is now the responsibility of government and institutions to ensure that their sacrifices are not in vain.”

His words carried weight in a country where memories of fuel queues, food shortages and economic despair remain fresh. The President signaled his administration’s commitment to a social contract grounded in accountability and economic fairness.

Gopinath noted that:

USD 3 billion in external debt was forgiven.

USD 25 billion was restructured with longer maturities and lower interest rates.

External debt servicing was reduced by half over the next decade.

Debt-to-GDP ratios are expected to fall by 27 to 34 percentage points.

“Sri Lanka’s experience has helped us sharpen how we approach debt sustainability, creditor coordination and domestic financial sector resilience, said Gopinath. “It’s a case study in how complex, painful, but ultimately successful restructuring can be done.”

By Ifham Nizam