The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) successfully hosted its inaugural Reserve Management Conference on 10 -11 September 2026 at The Kingsbury, Colombo. This distinguished gathering brought together leading central bankers, sovereign asset managers, policymakers, economists and investment professionals to exchange perspectives on the evolving global challenges and opportunities shaping official reserve management. Approximately 50 speakers and participants joined the conference, representing institutions including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Asian Development Bank, Banque de France, Bank for International Settlements, Bank Indonesia, Bank Negara Malaysia, Bank of Korea, Bank of Thailand, Inter-American Development Bank, Reserve Bank of India, Swiss National Bank, World Bank and World Gold Council.
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Central Bank of Sri Lanka Hosts its Inaugural Reserve Management Conference in Colombo
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SL Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) – August 2026
Purchasing Managers’ Indices indicate expansions in both Manufacturing and Services activities in August 2026.
Sri Lanka Purchasing Managers’ Index for Manufacturing (PMI – Manufacturing) recorded an index value of 53.0 in August 2026. This indicates an expansion in manufacturing activities, albeit at a slower rate compared to the previous month. All the sub-indices, except for Production, remained above the neutral threshold in August.
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CCPI-based headline inflation accelerated in August 2026
The Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI, 2021=100) based headline inflation (year-on-year, Y-o-Y) increased to 8.0% in August 2026 from 7.3% in July 2026, primarily due to the statistical base effect in food inflation. Meanwhile, food inflation (Y-o-Y) increased to 8.5% in August 2026 from 6.3% in July 2026, contributing mainly to the increase in headline inflation, while non-food inflation (Y-o-Y) decelerated to 7.7% in August 2026 from 7.8% in July 2026.
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External Sector Performance - July 2026
The external current account recorded a deficit of US$142 million in July 2026, remaining in the deficit for the fourth consecutive month reflecting the impact of developments in the Middle East. Consequently, the cumulative current account recorded a deficit of US$ 387 million during January-July 2026, compared to a surplus during the corresponding period of 2025.
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Release of ‘Economic and Social Statistics of Sri Lanka – 2026’
‘Economic and Social Statistics of Sri Lanka – 2026’, an annual release of socio-economic statistics of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, is now available for public access. This is an online data release containing long series of data in an easily accessible and downloadable format, catering to the data requirements of various stakeholders.
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Sri Lanka PMI - Construction expanded in July 2026
The Sri Lanka Purchasing Managers’ Index for Construction (PMI – Construction), as reflected by the Total Activity Index, increased to 61.4 in July 2026, indicating continued expansion in construction activities. Many survey respondents highlighted the sustained flow of construction work despite input constraints, particularly the short supply of bitumen.
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Land Valuation Indicator – First Half of 2026
The Land Valuation Indicator (LVI) compiled for Colombo District increased by 5.9 per cent at a moderate pace during the first half of 2026, compared to the corresponding period of 2025. All three sub indicators of the LVI recorded moderate year-on-year increases during the period, with Residential LVI increasing by 6.7 per cent, followed by Commercial LVI by 5.7 per cent and Industrial LVI by 5.2 per cent. Compared to the second half of 2025, the LVI and all three sub indicators increased in the first half of 2026. In this regard, Residential and Industrial LVIs recorded higher increases than those observed in the second half of 2025.
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SL Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) – July 2026
Purchasing Managers’ Indices indicate expansions in both Manufacturing and Services activities in July 2026.
Sri Lanka Purchasing Managers’ Index for Manufacturing (PMI – Manufacturing) recorded an index value of 55.0 in July 2026, indicating continued expansion in manufacturing activities. All sub-indices contributed positively to this improvement.
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The Central Bank of Sri Lanka releases the Monetary Policy Report – August 2026
The Central Bank released its second Monetary Policy Report for 2026 in keeping with the requirements of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Act, No. 16 of 2023. The biannual Monetary Policy Report provides forward-looking insights about the economy, particularly inflation and economic growth outlook, and risks to projections. Through this Report, the Central Bank strives to improve its transparency and accountability by communicating the rationale behind its recent monetary policy decisions.
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Clarification on Recent Media Reports Regarding the CBSL Governor's Remarks
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has observed that certain remarks made by the Governor of the CBSL during a recent media interview have been misinterpreted and subsequently reported by several print and electronic media outlets.