Home About Us Services Global Presence
Sri Lanka · Hub Singapore United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Hong Kong
Insights
Schedule a Consultation Client Portal
Home Insights Financial & Economic Analysis — April 2026
Monthly Briefing

Financial & Economic Analysis — April 2026

Aaron Russell-Davison Editor · Managing Director, SRP International
Prepared by·SRP Research Designed by·SRP Studio Editor·Aaron Russell-Davison — Managing Director, SRP International Period·April 2026

Executive Summary

Equity Markets

The Colombo Stock Exchange recorded a positive performance in April 2026, reversing the weakness of the previous month. The All Share Price Index advanced by around 7.0% MoM to close at 22,549.53, while the S&P SL20 gained approximately 5.1% MoM to end at 6,207.56. Despite the positive monthly performance, investor sentiment was cautious, with global risk concerns and rising oil prices prompting month-end selling pressure. Ongoing volatility is anticipated.

Inflation

Inflationary pressures continued to build in April 2026, with CCPI headline inflation rising to 5.4% YoY from 2.2% YoY in March. The acceleration was primarily driven by the non-food segment, where prices increased 6.8% YoY, attributed to higher transport and energy-related costs. Food inflation also edged up to 2.8% YoY, compared with 0.7% YoY in the previous month. With the sustained increase in global energy prices, this elevated level of inflation is likely to persist for some time.

Exchange Rates

The Sri Lankan rupee depreciated against the US dollar in April 2026, with the USD/LKR rate weakening by approximately 1.3% MoM to close near LKR 319.35/USD, compared with around LKR 315.19/USD at end-March. The pressure on the rupee was again driven by volatile global oil prices and broader external risk concerns. Despite best policy efforts, it is hard to see how the LKR can rally substantially in the coming months. There is too much pressure arising at the same time as reduced inward FX flows, due to reduced tourist arrivals in the low season.

Crude Oil Prices

Crude oil prices remained firm and volatile in April 2026, driven by geopolitical risk premiums and concerns over potential supply disruptions in the Middle East. Brent crude increased by around 6.0% MoM to trade near USD 110/bbl by the end of April. The lack of resolution in the Strait of Hormuz, inconsistent negotiation outcomes and concerns about longer-term rebalancing are leading to a global economic impact that has not yet been fully felt.

Tourist Arrivals

Tourist arrivals softened in April 2026, with Sri Lanka recording 135,643 arrivals during the month, down 22.3% YoY from 174,608 arrivals in April 2025. Cumulative arrivals for Jan–Apr 2026 stood at 876,277, compared with 896,884 during the same period in 2025, reflecting a decline of 2.3% YoY. India remained the key source market, accounting for 31.0% of April arrivals, followed by China, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Russia.

Market Statistics

Month EndingApril-2026March-2026Change (%)
All Share Price Index22,549.5321,066.187.04%
S&P 20 Index6,207.565,904.105.14%
Consumer Services (Hotels)573.78537.446.76%
Real Estates3,544.953,286.417.87%
Capital Goods (Industrial)2,383.712,162.7310.22%
Food Bev & Tob (Plantations and Other)2,431.152,193.1010.85%
Materials3,096.822,819.769.83%
Banks1,794.601,777.120.98%
Telecommunication Services2,849.832,490.8314.41%
Market Capitalisation (SLRs. Bn)8,174.627,522.008.68%

International Markets

MarketApril-2026March-2026Change (%)
STI Index (Singapore)4,912.694,885.450.56%
DAX (Germany)24,292.3822,680.047.11%
Nikkei (Japan)59,284.9251,063.7216.10%
FTSE 100 (UK)10,378.8210,176.451.99%
Dow Industrial (US)49,652.1446,341.517.14%

Exchange Rates

CurrencyApril-2026March-2026Change (%)
Euro372.68361.743.02%
SNG$249.34244.262.08%
AUD227.47216.355.14%
GBP430.42416.373.37%
US$319.35315.191.32%

Quoted as LKR per unit of foreign currency; a higher figure indicates depreciation of the rupee.

Commodity Prices

CommodityApril-2026March-2026February-2026
Brent Crude $/bbl110.20103.9472.88
Gold $/Troy oz4,621.204,674.205,275.30
Tea $/Kg2.832.692.70
Rubber, TSR20 $/Kg2.061.951.93

Interest Rates

Rate typeApril-2026March-2026Change (%)
AWPR9.579.283.13%
AWDR—6.83—
Treasury Bill Yield
3 Months8.027.635.11%
6 Months8.137.902.91%
12 Months8.318.142.09%
Treasury Bond Yield
5 Years10.049.832.14%
10 Years11.0010.851.38%

AWDR = Commercial Bank Average Weighted Deposit Rate. AWPR = Commercial Bank Average Weighted Prime Lending Rate.

Inflation (Headline)

InflationApril-2026March-2026Change (%)
Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI)5.402.20145.45%

Daily Indices

DayASPIS&P SL 20
Apr 2, 202621,117.425,875.69
Apr 6, 202621,126.605,861.45
Apr 7, 202621,032.465,832.82
Apr 8, 202621,917.606,090.50
Apr 9, 202621,844.546,076.18
Apr 10, 202622,158.726,152.73
Apr 15, 202622,261.486,174.99
Apr 16, 202622,588.976,230.76
Apr 17, 202622,773.296,263.94
Apr 20, 202622,570.036,222.79
Apr 21, 202622,625.486,222.46
Apr 22, 202622,639.816,213.84
Apr 23, 202622,580.076,205.73
Apr 24, 202622,567.636,204.62
Apr 27, 202622,612.316,214.56
Apr 28, 202622,620.156,229.68
Apr 29, 202622,635.006,241.01
Apr 30, 202622,549.536,207.56

Volume & Turnover

DayTurnoverVolume
Apr 2, 20261,766,803,424.3064,091,876.00
Apr 6, 20263,029,354,703.6581,997,021.00
Apr 7, 20261,878,700,412.8048,684,137.00
Apr 8, 20266,613,821,816.20247,829,110.00
Apr 9, 20262,965,704,652.60133,347,890.00
Apr 10, 20265,016,086,586.25261,703,290.00
Apr 15, 20263,051,782,943.75187,953,570.00
Apr 16, 20264,962,529,268.00242,690,618.00
Apr 17, 20264,974,714,406.60221,614,912.00
Apr 20, 20264,114,415,285.25257,762,677.00
Apr 21, 20263,564,598,229.45359,772,355.00
Apr 22, 20265,252,232,579.55155,498,951.00
Apr 23, 20262,828,671,143.65125,994,284.00
Apr 24, 20262,068,858,438.20120,275,768.00
Apr 27, 20262,972,415,139.80141,612,733.00
Apr 28, 20263,096,611,515.20127,852,069.00
Apr 29, 20264,191,292,943.50214,340,426.00
Apr 30, 20263,440,997,121.05155,793,118.00

Tea Auction Prices (USD)

Month20262025202420232022202120202019
Jan2.732.782.662.772.862.682.512.54
Feb2.702.692.712.702.792.562.362.38
Mar2.692.692.692.692.612.432.132.38
April2.832.913.032.963.242.672.362.65
May3.023.202.712.992.712.512.73
June2.993.222.692.962.702.842.56
July3.023.302.473.312.653.042.58
Aug3.043.222.833.372.723.152.63
Sep2.943.272.853.332.733.082.54
Oct3.013.152.763.152.783.002.58
Nov2.993.092.743.052.832.782.61
Dec2.882.962.712.952.822.652.57

Tourist Arrivals

Tourist Arrivals2026202520242023202220212020
January277,327252,761208,253102,54582,3271,682228,434
February279,328240,217218,350107,63996,5073,366207,507
March183,979229,298209,181125,495106,5004,58171,370
April135,643174,608148,867105,49862,9804,1680
May132,919112,12883,30930,2071,4970
June138,241113,470100,38832,8561,6140
July200,244187,810143,03947,2932,4290
August198,235164,609136,40537,7605,0400
September158,971122,140111,93829,80213,5470
October165,193135,907109,19942,02622,7710
November212,906184,158151,49659,75944,2940
December258,928248,592210,35291,96189,506393

India remained the key source market in April 2026 (31.0% of arrivals), followed by China, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Russia.

Primary Deposit & Lending Rates

Period (Year Month)AWDRAWPR
Apr 2026—9.57
Mar 20266.839.28
Feb 20266.839.35
Jan 20266.818.88
Dec 20256.789.07
Nov 20256.778.64
Oct 20256.798.31
Sep 20256.808.10
Aug 20256.827.97
Jul 20256.888.07
Jun 20256.938.11
May 20256.988.35

CCPI Year on Year (%)

Month (Year Month)HeadlineFoodNon Food
Apr 20265.402.806.80
Mar 20262.200.702.90
Feb 20261.600.202.30
Jan 20262.303.301.80
Dec 20252.103.001.80
Nov 20252.103.001.70
Oct 20252.103.501.40
Sep 20251.502.900.70
Aug 20251.202.000.80
Jul 2025-0.301.50-1.20
Jun 2025-0.604.30-2.80
May 2025-0.705.20-3.30
Apr 2025-2.001.30-3.60

External Sector

Values are in USD million.

Month (Year Month)Official ReservesWorkers' RemittancesEarnings from Tourism
Mar 20267,026.00814.80223.70
Feb 20267,270.00729.00352.00
Jan 20266,832.00751.10378.30
Dec 20256,825.00879.10308.60
Nov 20256,034.00673.40251.60
Oct 20256,216.00712.00186.10
Sep 20256,244.00695.70182.90
Aug 20256,178.00680.80258.90
Jul 20256,147.00697.30318.50
Jun 20256,081.00635.70169.50
May 20256,286.00641.70164.10
Apr 20256,327.00646.10256.70
Mar 20256,531.00693.30354.00
Month (Year Month)ExportsImportsFuel ImportsImport (Non Fuel)
Mar 20261,254.302,134.10630.101,504.00
Feb 20261,057.801,833.80398.001,435.80
Jan 20261,148.701,803.30253.501,549.80
Dec 20251,158.002,155.20390.101,765.10
Nov 20251,047.801,778.50333.301,445.20
Oct 20251,149.402,156.80357.801,799.00
Sep 20251,138.502,048.60440.701,607.90
Aug 20251,282.301,696.50255.201,441.30
Jul 20251,302.201,882.20269.701,612.50
Jun 20251,141.801,682.10331.501,350.60
May 20251,034.701,507.20252.801,254.40
Apr 2025968.401,685.90354.701,331.20

This briefing is prepared by SRP Research for general information only and does not constitute financial, investment, or tax advice. Figures are reproduced from the SRP International Financial & Economic Analysis for April 2026 (external-sector figures to March 2026) and are subject to revision.

← Back to Insights

Want this analysis applied to your business?

Our advisors can talk through what these trends mean for your operations across Sri Lanka, Singapore, the UAE, the UK, and Hong Kong.

Talk to an Advisor