While the construction sector witnessed substantial growth in the 24 months leading up to 2018, domestic market forces including a falling rupee, warnings of an asset bubble and political instability have stymied growth of late. However, despite market disruptions, a number of key projects forged ahead in 2018, including Port City Colombo and the Hambantota Industrial Zone. Impressive economic...
Sri Lanka’s economy has traditionally been agriculture-based, but several centuries of international trade – and the introduction of tea, rubber, and coffee cultivation by the UK – have altered the sector’s makeup significantly. After independence in 1948, the economy remained highly dependent on trade, with tea, rubber and coconut making up the bulk of exports, even while many Sri Lankans...
Sri Lanka has a total of 12,290 km of national highways, 1561 km of rail tracks, two international airports and four seaports. In order to boost the local economy and quality of life, the cultivation of an effective, reliable and cost-efficient transport system has been a priority for successive governments, albeit with varying degrees of success. Improvement plans in the pipeline include...
Industrial exports have long played a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s economic output, even during periods of civil strife and macroeconomic instability. Over the years, an emphasis on export orientation has led to greater productivity and employment generation. However, a new wave of instability – characterised by political uncertainty, currency depreciation and rising interest rates – affected...
Sri Lanka’s energy sector has undergone a significant transformation in recent decades, as growth in the economy and population have eroded the country’s capacity to meet its energy needs via hydropower, strained the national grid and pushed thermal generation to dominate the industry. Although it benefits from an abundant supply of renewable energy, electricity shortages and rising fuel...
After an uncertain period, the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) is back on an upward trajectory, supported by the improving economic climate. The market will see significant reforms in 2018 to strengthen regulation, increase the bourse’s independence and efficiency, and broaden the range of products available. While the CSE has had its ups and downs since the civil war ended, its overall...
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