SenFin Research – News Updates – 11 September 2026

18% VAT cut needed to ease cost-of-living burden: Economist
Sri Lanka’s Government should consider reducing the current 18% Value Added Tax (VAT) in the upcoming Budget to provide short-term relief to households struggling with the high cost of living, University of Colombo Department of Economics Prof Priyanga Dunusinghe said on Ada Derana’s Big Focus programme on Wednesday (9).
Source: (the morning) https://www.themorning.lk/articles/shNRj1Rmzrpxg7sNRCya

IMF team arrives for 7th review
A team of representatives from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday (10) for the seventh review of the economic reform programme implemented under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).
Source: (Daily News) https://dailynews.lk/2026/09/11/business/1038396/imf-team-arrives-for-7th-review/

Sri Lanka rupee closes at 328.45/60 to US dollar spot, bond yields higher
Sri Lanka’s rupee closed at 328.45/60 to the US dollar in the spot market on Thursday, from 328.60/80 the previous day, while bond yields closed higher on select tenors, dealers said.
Source: (economynext) https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-rupee-closes-at-328-45-60-to-us-dollar-spot-bond-yields-higher-283291/

Sri Lanka stocks close lower on Thursday, banking leads turnover
Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange closed down on Thursday trading, CSE data showed, with the benchmark All Share Price Index moving down 0.44 percent.
Source: (economynext) https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-stocks-close-lower-on-thursday-banking-leads-turnover-283240/

Sri Lanka’s Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings to raise Rs5bn in debenture sale
Sri Lanka’s Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings plans to raise up to 5 billion rupees through a debenture issue, the company said in a market filing.
Source: (economynext) https://economynext.com/sri-lankas-aitken-spence-hotel-holdings-to-raise-rs5bn-in-debenture-sale-283277/

Sri Lanka’s Senthilverl Holdings tops 10-pct stake in Sarvodaya Finance
Sri Lanka’s Senthilverl Holdings has increased its stake in Sarvodaya Development Finance beyond the 10 percent following a market transaction, a market filing showed.
Source: (economynext) https://economynext.com/sri-lankas-senthilverl-holdings-tops-10-pct-stake-in-sarvodaya-finance-283243/

CSF urges Govt. to give trade adjustment plan real teeth
Sri Lanka risks repeating a decade-old policy failure unless its next trade adjustment mechanism is built with real institutional teeth, the Centre for a Smart Future (CSF) has warned, urging the Government to lock in the right structure now rather than wait for industry pushback to force the issue.
Source: (Daily Ft) https://www.ft.lk/front-page/CSF-urges-Govt-to-give-trade-adjustment-plan-real-teeth/44-797109

El Niño leaves 78,000 without livelihoods
A total of 78,368 people from 25,037 families have lost their livelihoods due to the dry weather conditions caused by El Niño, with losses reported across seven Districts, Environment Minister Dr Dammika Patabendi told Parliament yesterday (10).
Source: (the morning) https://www.themorning.lk/articles/ExLfMSmYCrUYAA8qRxui

Drinking water secured until end Sept
Drinking water reserves are expected to be sufficient to meet requirements until the end of September, when rainfall is anticipated, despite 1,897 of the 5,464 water sources used by community water projects being at risk due to the prevailing drought, Water Supply Minister Dr Susil Ranasinghe said.
Source: (the morning) https://www.themorning.lk/articles/eGCowmDsJlAdGfwk0irl

Wildfires damage 300 ha of forest
Around 300 hectares (ha) of forest have been damaged by wildfires amid the dry weather conditions caused by El Niño, with authorities also reporting an increase in wild elephants entering villages in search of food and water, Environment Minister Dr Dammika Patabendi said.
Source: (the morning) https://www.themorning.lk/articles/f4l0OtLgplQYRBG2c2vb