Sri Lanka is moving towards attracting investors for Mannar Basin gas development. The resource could improve energy security, but success depends on commercial viability, environmental safeguards and ensuring gas supports rather than delays the renewable transition.
The global wellness economy is forecast to approach US$9.8 trillion by 2029. Sri Lanka already has recognised natural, cultural and traditional-health assets, but capturing the opportunity requires more than promoting retreats.
Sri Lanka currently shares a 10% US Section 301 tariff with several apparel competitors. But Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia have been promised a pathway to Section 301-free quotas that Sri Lanka does not currently have.
Hela Apparel raised billions through an IPO and rights issue, secured international development financing and repeatedly restructured debt. Four years after listing, it says it can no longer pay its debts. What happened between growth and the balance sheet?
Sri Lankan banks are expanding credit while facing higher operating costs, cyber risks and rapidly changing technology. A recent Asian Business Review commentary offers a useful framework for transforming without weakening trust or resilience.
Sri Lankan consumers may be spending more, but that does not necessarily mean they are buying more. Inflation, essential costs, credit growth and uneven income recovery are reshaping demand, and businesses must read the signals carefully.
Islamic finance has grown into a US$4.4 trillion global industry. Sri Lanka already has an enabling banking framework, Islamic financial institutions and a listed sukuk market, but greater scale requires stronger regulation, awareness and investable projects.
Jensen Huang, Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai and other technology leaders are backing open-weight AI models as essential to competition, security and national AI sovereignty. Anthropic’s absence reveals a deeper industry divide.
Sri Lanka’s combined merchandise and services exports exceeded US$9 billion during the first half of 2026. The milestone reflects stronger diversification, but apparel, tea and major Western markets remain under pressure.
Sri Lanka received the lower 10% US tariff rate after adopting a forced-labour import prohibition. The decision protects export competitiveness while creating opportunities for exempt product sectors.
