ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s central bank is looking for a cybersecurity professional, a Red Team Specialist, to look for advanced threat actors and simulate real-world cyberattacks.

The position is a contract role for three years, aimed at boosting the regulator’s proactive threat intelligence, network defense, and breach simulation capabilities.

The specialist will be tasked with executing intelligence-led red team engagements and proactive “hunt missions”.

Responsibilities include tracking ransomware groups, phishing kits, and fraud campaigns on the dark web and open sources.

Applicants should be below 30 years of age as of October 31.

Central banks worldwide face heightened risks from complex financial fraud campaigns. (Colombo/Sep28/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s potential in the Health Economy will be explored at the Sri Lanka Economic & Investment Summit 2026 (SLEIS 2026), organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on 12-13 October.

The session, “Reimagining Healthcare for a Modern Health Economy,” will explore how Sri Lanka can strengthen its healthcare ecosystem while developing new opportunities across healthcare services, pharmaceuticals, medical technology and related sectors.

It will also consider the role of private sector investment and innovation in improving healthcare delivery and outcomes.

The panel will feature a keynote address by Tushar Shroff – Chief Financial Officer, Zydus Lifesciences Limited.

He will be joined at the discussion by Vidyani Hettigoda – Director, Hettigoda Group of Companies, Raveen Wickramasinghe – President, Association of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes and Chief Executive Officer, Ruhunu Hospital, Murtaza Esufally – Deputy Chairman / Non-Executive Director, Hemas Holdings PLC, and Ravi Rannan Eliya – Director, Institute for Health Policy.

The discussion will be moderated by Shyam Sathasivam – Group Chief Executive Officer, Sunshine Holdings PLC.

The session will examine how developments in healthcare can contribute to productivity, investment and economic growth, while addressing the opportunities and challenges involved in building a modern health economy. (Colombo/Sep28/2026)

ECONOMTNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange opened higher on Monday, CSE data showed, with the benchmark All Share Price Index moving up 0.15 percent.

The ASPI was up 30.69 points at 21,068.04, while the more liquid S&P SL20 was up 0.15 percent, or 8.69 points, at 5,949.41.

Positive contributors to the ASPI were LOLC Finance (up 1.92 percent at 5.30 rupees), Hayleys (up 0.89 percent at 227.00 rupees), Dialog Axiata (up 0.43 percent at 46.60 rupees), and Commercial Bank (up 0.25 percent at 204.50 rupees).

SMB Finance (down 9.09 percent at 1.00 rupee), Melstacorp (down 0.41 percent at 183.25 rupees), and Hemas Holdings (down 0.32 percent at 30.90 rupees) were top negative contributors.

Market turnover was 57.56 million rupees.

Diversified financials led turnover with 7.61 million rupees, followed by banks with 7.03 million rupees.

Vidullanka PLC said project companies in which it holds equity have submitted winning bids to establish 18.7 MW/93 MWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS) integrated with existing ground-mounted solar power plants.

The company’s estimated share of equity investment across the four projects is around 600 million rupees. (Colombo/Sep28/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT — Sri Lanka’s Vidullanka PLC said project companies in which it holds equity have submitted winning bids to establish 18.7 MW/93 MWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS) integrated with existing ground-mounted solar power plants.

The projects will be developed on a build, own and operate (BOO) basis for a 15-year operational term, the company said in a market filing.

Vidullanka’s estimated share of equity investment across the four projects is around 600 million rupees, which remains subject to adjustments based on the final capital structure and cost refinements.

The investment will be funded mainly through internal cash generation from solar operations alongside project-level debt financing.

“Retrofitting battery storage to existing operational ground-mounted solar facilities will optimize solar power evacuation, reduce energy curtailment, and provide grid stabilization benefits over the 15-year power purchase operational window,” the energy firm said.

The ventures include three 4.9 MW/25 MWh installations through Solar Universe (Pvt) Ltd, Sooryashakthi (Pvt) Ltd, and DPV Solar Energy (Pvt) Ltd, in which Vidullanka holds a 50 percent stake each. A fourth project, VidulSolar (Pvt) Ltd at Madampe, is wholly owned by the firm and accounts for 4.0 MW/18 MWh of storage capacity.

Final documentation and official clearances before work can proceed are pending.

“While the bid prices submitted by these project companies fell within the winning evaluation threshold, the formal securing and award of the projects remain subject to the receipt of formal Letters of Award, regulatory approvals, and the execution of definitive project agreements.”

Further announcements will be made once formal awards and definitive contracts are finalized, the company said. (Colombo/Sep28/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee was quoted at 330.50/65 to the US dollar in the spot market on Monday, while bond yields edged lower at open, dealers said.

A bond maturing on 01.08.2030 was quoted at 11.13/20 percent, from 11.10/15 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.10.2030 was quoted at 11.18/25 percent, down from 11.20/25 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.02.2031 was quoted at 11.20/30 percent, down from 11.25/30 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.12.2032 was quoted at 11.65/75 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.10.2034 was quoted at 11.90/12.00 percent, down from 11.93/12.05 percent.

The telegraphic transfer rate for the dollar was 326.00 buying, 335.00 selling; the euro was 368.7831 buying, 382.5639 selling; pound was 430.6238 buying, 444.7322 selling.

On the Colombo Stock Exchange the All Share Price Index was up 0.06 percent, or 13.23 points, at 21,050; while the S&P SL20 was up 0.32 percent, 18.77 points, at 5,959. (Colombo/Sep28/2026)

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Economic growth in developing Asia and the Pacific will moderate from 5.5% in 2025 to 5% this year before edging up to 5.1% in 2027, according to a new report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The 2026 forecast is 0.1 percentage points higher than the previous outlook in July.

“The region has remained resilient, but the risks are growing,” said ADB President Masato Kanda.

“A strengthening El Niño with drier conditions means smaller harvests and reduced hydropower, pushing food and energy prices higher, and hitting the most vulnerable the hardest. The prolonged energy crisis and renewed risks in financial markets make it even more important for governments to prepare and protect the people most exposed. ADB is strongly supporting such efforts.”

Strong investment, government stimulus, and robust technology exports driven by the global artificial intelligence (AI) investment cycle are supporting growth, even as geopolitical tensions and a strengthening El Niño push up energy and food prices.

In the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) September 2026, released last week, ADB trimmed its regional inflation forecast for 2026 to 4.2% from 4.3% in July, as price stabilization measures partly offset the impact of persistently high energy prices. The inflation forecast for 2027 is revised up slightly to 3.5%, compared with 3.4% in July. The revised inflation projections for both years remain above the 3% recorded in 2025.

ADO September 2026 identifies two main risks to the region’s growth and inflation outlook. The first is escalating conflict, particularly a broadening of the Middle East conflict and an intensification of Russia’s war in Ukraine, which could keep global energy prices elevated and volatile, and spill over to other commodities. The second is a very strong El Niño, forecast to persist through the first quarter of 2027, which could raise energy demand and lower agricultural production, pushing up fuel and food prices. A sharp correction in AI-related equity valuations, tightening financial conditions, and renewed trade policy uncertainty pose further downside risks.

Subregional growth prospects are mixed. Stronger-than-expected performance in the first half of 2026 has slightly improved the outlook for developing Southeast Asia, with the 2026 and 2027 forecasts now at 4.7% and 4.9%, up from 4.6% and 4.8%, respectively. The outlook is unchanged for developing East Asia, including the People’s Republic of China.

For South Asia, the growth forecast for this year is revised up to 6.4% from 6% in July, driven by strong public investment and firm export growth in India. The 2027 projection is lowered by 0.2 percentage points to 6.5%, reflecting lower forecasts for Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, and Nepal amid trade, energy, and weather-related shocks. For the Caucasus and Central and West Asia, forecasts are revised down by 0.1 percentage points for both years, to 3.7% and 4.1%, mainly on weaker-than-expected external demand, particularly in Türkiye. Economies in the Pacific face the largest downward revisions, with projections for both years cut by 0.3 percentage points, to 3% and 2.9%, on prolonged energy market disruptions and the expected effects of El Niño on mining and agriculture.