Sri Lanka sells extra Rs1bn Treasury bills after auction

Saturday December 27, 2025 12:00 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka has sold 1,006 million rupees of treasury bills offered on tap at average rates of 7.95 percent and 8.19 percent, the public debt management office said, bringing the total of bills sold this week to 83.46 billion rupees.

The debt office sold 6-month bills at 7.95 percent.

The debt office sold 12-month bills at 8.19 percent.

On Tuesday (23) the debt office raised 82.45 billion rupees of 3, 6 and 12 month bills.

Read more
Sri Lanka Treasury bill yields rise, 12-month up 16bp

Settlement date was December 26. (Colombo/Dec27/2025)

Saturday December 27, 2025 7:59 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Vietnam’s Vikyno has become the market leading 2-wheel tractor in Sri Lanka in 2025, an analysis of Sri Lanka’s vehicle registry data by J B Securities, a Colombo-based equities brokerage shows.

In November 99 Vikyno two-wheel tractors were sold, up from 53 in October and 33 in September.

The Vikyno is advertised online by Brown and Company.

Japan’s Kubota was the second most popular 2-wheel tractor with 54 units registered in November, 38 in October and 22 in September.

Kubota was for many years a popular 2-wheel tractor brand in Sri Lanka.

The tractors are used by farmers for tilling land and in Sri Lanka, a trailer is also attached to haul goods.

In Sri Lanka two wheel tractors are generally referred to as a ‘Landmaster’ or sometimes as a ‘hand’ tractor.

The UK-made Landmaster two-wheel tractor was for many decades the most widely used brand in Sri Lanka. It was was designed by Sri Lankan scientist Ray Wijewardene in 1955 as low-cost machine to mechanize agriculture in the island. (Colombo/Dec26/2025)

Saturday December 27, 2025 9:08 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s vehicle sales fell across categories by 9.7 percent in November 2025, declining for the second month, though there was a pick-up in Japanese used vehicles, an analysis of vehicle registry data by J B Securities, a Colombo-based equities brokerage shows.

Total vehicles registered fell by 4,271 units to 43,810 in November, from 48,081 in October and 48,897 in September.

Used car registrations rose to 2,910 in November from 2,817 but was down from the peak of 3,461 in September.

Brand new motor car registrations fell from 836 to 781.

Brand new cars fell to 781 from 836, and was higher than 489 in September.

Chinese made BAW E-7 a small electric car led the car sales with 323 units.

SUV and Crossover sales fell to 4,645 units in November, from 5,181 in October and 5,834 in September.

Hyrbrid registrations fell to 2,261 from 2,519 units.

Electric vehicles fell to 3,158 from 4,039 units. The top electric vehicle across categories is the Yadea motorcycle of which 1,421 units were registered, down from 1,801 units.

Sri Lanka was hit by a cyclone from around 26 November which inundated many parts of the country and brought work to a standstill. Whether the cyclone also contributed to the slowdown in registrations is not clear. (Colombo/Dec26/2025)

Saturday December 27, 2025 9:00 am

ECONOMYNEXT – The Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka has extended the suspension of the registration granted to Sanasa Life Insurance Co PLC to carry on long-term insurance businesses, the company said in a stock exchange filing.

The suspension has been extended from December 27 to January 30, 2026.

Related: Sri Lanka regulator suspends Sanasa Life Insurance

The registration was suspended from December 5 until December 26 in terms of Section 18 (1) (d), (f), (g) and (h) of the Regulation of Insurance Industry Act, No. 43 of 2000. (Colombo/Dec27/2025)

Friday December 26, 2025 6:32 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka and Vietnam officials explored deeper ties in health, trade, and tourism sectors when they met officially this week, the government said.

The discussions, held at the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, centered on strengthening the longstanding diplomatic relations between the two countries and exploring new avenues for bilateral cooperation.

Vietnam’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Trinh Thi Tam, commended the island nation’s recent progress across multiple sectors during a ministerial meeting with Minister of Health and Mass Media Nalinda Jayatissa, on Tuesday.

Ambassador Tam noted that she was “satisfied with Sri Lanka’s progress in political, cultural and economic spheres.” Sri Lanka government said in a statement.

She emphasized the importance of “deepening bilateral relations based on mutual trust and shared development goals, it said.

Minister Jayatissa expressed Sri Lanka’s desire to “further strengthen political, diplomatic and economic ties with Vietnam in the years ahead.”

The meeting delved into ongoing development projects supported by Vietnam, as well as future initiatives. Key areas of focus included the health sector’s performance, needs for pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, and cooperation in agriculture and tourism.

Both sides explored how Vietnam’s development achievements could be adapted to the Sri Lankan context. (Colombo/December 26/2025)

Friday December 26, 2025 4:39 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee closed flat at 309.65/75 to the US dollar in the spot market Friday, having depreciated in recent weeks, dealers said, while bond yields closed down.

A bond maturing on 15.03.2028 closed at 8.95/9.05 percent, down from 9.10/18 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.09.2029 closed at 9.60/70 percent, down from 9.70/80 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.05.2031 closed at 9.95/10.03 percent, down from 9.95/10.10 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.10.2032 closed at 10.32/35 percent, down from 10.30/40 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.11.2033 closed at 10.45/60 percent, up from 10.54/60 percent. (Colombo/Dec26/2025)

Friday December 26, 2025 10:58 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Haggala Botanical Gardens in the Nuwara Eliya district has been opened for domestic and foreign tourists from December 25, the Ministry of Environment said.

The gardens were closed after Cyclone Ditwah.

Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody had inspected the gardens on December 12 with officials to assess the ground situation and landslide risks, the statement said.

The Gardens were re-opened after carrying out recommendations of the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) and the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).

“Due to the emergence of hazardous ground conditions, certain areas—specifically the pond area near the entrance gate and the access roads leading toward the forest park where such signs were observed—have been temporarily cordoned off,” the statement said.

“Warning signs have been installed to prevent visitors from entering these zones. To ensure the convenience and safety of both local and foreign tourists, the staff of the Botanical Garden has organized a special assistance program.”