ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s monthly foreign exchange revenue from tourism rose for the first time in 10 months in August 2026 and gained 2.1 percent from a year ago to US$264.4 million, the central bank said, quoting tourism promotion authority data; 

The rise comes despite a 3.3 percent fall in the monthly tourist arrivals in August, data showed. 

Tourism revenue has been falling since October 2025 with the government-owned tourism promotion body’s revision of the daily average spending per tourist and the duration of the tourist stay.

Total tourism revenue in the first eight months fell 10 percent to US$2,061.1  million, compared to US$2,290 million in the same period last year. 

Arrivals in the first eight months showed a 2 percent decline. 

The island nation recorded its lowest revenue in 32 months in June. Tourism revenue has been falling rapidly year-on-year since the U.S./Israel bombing of Iran began on February 28.

The state-owned Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) revised the methodology for compiling monthly tourism earnings estimates in May thiu year, retrospectively from January, citing the need to “enhance the accuracy and representativeness”.

Official data revealed that the island nation’s tourism revenue has been lower since August last year compared to arrivals, following the relevant authority’s downward revision of per-day tourism spending.

Sri Lanka has revised down its ambitious arrival target to 2.7 million from 3 million and the revenue goal to US$4.2 billion from US$5 billion for this year.

The island nation witnessed US$3.22 billion in revenue in 2025, a 1.6 percent jump compared to US$3.17 billion in the previous year, according to the data. 

Arrivals picked up 15.1 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, with the number of foreign visitors to Sri Lanka rising to a record 2,362,521 from 2,053,465.

Tourism accounted for nearly 5 percent of Sri Lanka’s economy when the sector was at its peak in 2018. Since then, the sector has been hit by the violent Easter Sunday suicide attack in 2019, the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, followed by an unprecedented economic crisis.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority estimates the tourism earnings figure from a survey.

Sri Lanka’s imports and the merchandise trade deficit have gradually picked up as tourism earnings came in and people in the sector spent their wages and other earnings. (Colombo/September 19/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – Global cybersecurity and digital privacy company Kaspersky says it had discovered a new version of MacSync malware stealing credentials and crypto from macOS users.

Kaspersky researchers discovered the updated version of the macOS infostealer known as MacSync, which first emerged in 2024–2025 as a variant of the AMOS stealer.

The latest version, spotted this month, uses a new complex infection chain and delivers an infostealer and a backdoor to the victim’s device, compromising credentials, different types of user data, and crypto assets, the company said.

“The newly discovered version of the MacSync infostealer differs significantly from its previous versions, introducing new features and making the infection chain more complex. Threat actors are also actively developing social engineering techniques that serve as the initial access window to the victim’s device, and it is important to stay vigilant when installing new applications, especially if the app developer is not trusted.”

The attack begins with a malicious file ending up on a user’s device – this may be a result of the user downloading the malware disguised as a certain application (a document sharing app, crypto wallet app or other apps).

This triggers a series of further malicious downloads and manipulations on the device. In some cases, one of the malicious downloads in the attack sequence is hosted in a public iCloud calendar entry in *.ics format. As a result of the infection, the core MacSync malware components are installed: an infostealer and a backdoor.

When launched, the infostealer appears as an application that the user thought they had downloaded. It prompts the user to enter the password for the administrator’s account.

After the password is entered, a notification is displayed saying that the app “is damaged,” suggesting moving it to the bin – a technique intended to distract the user.

The stealer collects web browser data (browsing history, cookies, saved credentials), data from crypto wallet apps, Telegram messenger data, the device’s login and password, and the Keychain file. It also collects the list of installed apps and the device’s model and hardware data, SSH, ZSH configs and other data.

Another MacSync component – the backdoor – is disguised as the legitimate Finder app and grants attackers access to the user’s data.

Specifically, through this backdoor the attackers can remotely deploy modified add-ons in the user’s web browser (most likely to replace crypto wallet extensions with malicious ones), replace the legitimate Ledger crypto wallet app with a malicious clone, collect various system information or specific user files, and possibly execute arbitrary code for other purposes.

“We recommend to always check if the app you are downloading or installing is from the original developer, verifying its legitimacy via trusted sources. Your administrator password is the key protecting the most sensitive data and credentials on the device, and users should be alert when applications ask for it ,” Sergey Puzan, security expert at Kaspersky, said. (Colombo/Sep19/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – India has extended financial assistance of Rs. 300 million for the passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai for another year, its High Commission in Colombo said on Friday.

The latest assistance marks the third consecutive year of financial support from India for the ferry service, which resumed in August 2024.

“The financial support is being extended under the Viability Gap Funding mechanism, amounting to nearly LKR 300 million annually,” the High Commission said in a statement.

“The assistance is aimed at ensuring the affordability and operational sustainability of the service by covering key logistical and operational costs, on terms similar to the previous year.”

Since resuming in August 2024, the ferry service has facilitated the movement of around 52,000 passengers, significantly contributing to cultural, economic and social exchanges between India and Sri Lanka.

The service represents an important milestone in revitalizing maritime connectivity between the two countries, the High Commission said.

The continuation of financial support for the ferry service also aligns with the shared vision for enhanced maritime connectivity, as reaffirmed during the visit of the President of Sri Lanka to India in December 2024 and the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Sri Lanka in April 2025, it said.

“Future plans include rehabilitation of Kankesanthurai Harbour under overall Indian grant assistance of USD 65 million, as well as exploration of additional routes and services that could further expand maritime connectivity and deepen economic and people-to-people linkages between India and Sri Lanka.” (Colombo/September 18/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee closed at 330.75/331.25 to the US dollar in the spot market on Friday, from 331.50/90 the previous day, while bond yields dropped, dealers said.

A bond maturing on 15.09.2027 closed at 9.85/10.00 percent, down from 9.90/10.05 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.12.2028 closed at 10.50/70 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.09.2029 closed at 10.85/90 percent, down from 10.90/11.00 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.08.2030 closed at 11.20/25 percent, down from 11.30/40 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.12.2032 closed at 11.60/70 percent, down from 11.70/80 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.11.2033 closed at 11.80/88 percent, down from 11.80/85 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.10.2034 closed at 11.95/12.05 percent, down from 12.00/15 percent. (Colombo/Sep18/2026)

ECONMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange closed higher on Friday, CSE data showed, with the benchmark All Share Price Index moving up 0.16 percent.

The ASPI was up 32.83 points at 21,056.26, while the more liquid S&P SL20 was up 0.07 percent, or 3.93 points, at 5,928.89.

The ASPI ended the week down 326.48 points from last Friday’s close, amidst a mixed week of trading.

Positive contributors to the ASPI were Dialog Axiata (up 2.00 percent at 45.90 rupees), Melstacorp (up 1.25 percent at 182.50 rupees), Hayleys (up 1.00 percent at 226.25 rupees), Haycarb (up 2.46 percent at 208.00 rupees), and Cargills (Ceylon) (up 1.85 percent at 743.25 rupees).

John Keells Holdings (down 0.52 percent at 19.10 rupees), Access Engineering (down 1.28 percent at 77.40 rupees), Central Finance Company (down 1.14 percent at 216.00 rupees), and Laughs Gas (down 7.69 percent at 42.00 rupees) were top negative contributors.

Market turnover was 1.34 billion rupees. Capital goods led turnover with 366.9 million rupees.

People’s Leasing and Finance announced plans to list 10 billion rupees of 13.75 percent debentures, according to a stock exchange filing.

The company plans to issue 100 million listed, rated, subordinated, unsecured, redeemable, 5-year (2026/2031) debentures with a fixed interest rate of 13.75 percent p.a. payable annually (AER 13.75%), at 100 rupees each.

DFCC Bank announced the allotment of its 12.5 billion rupee Basel III compliant, Tier 2, listed, rated, unsecured, subordinated, redeemable 5-year (2026/2031) debenture issue. 95 million debentures were allotted on a preferential basis to identified qualified investors, while other qualified investors who applied up to 100,000 debentures received 100% allotment, and those applying above 100,000 debentures received 100,000 plus 50.4979% of the remaining unallotted amount.

Shares of DFCC Bank closed down 0.60 percent at 124.00 rupees. (Colombo/September18/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) David Myers has assumed his position in September the US Embassy in Sri Lanka said.

“David brings extensive diplomatic experience across Asia and beyond and joins Ambassador Eric Meyer and our U.S. Embassy team in advancing the U.S.–Sri Lanka partnership.”

His appointment follows Eric Meyer’s as ambassador earlier this month.

Myers previous assignment was at Embassy Skopje, North Macedonia, where he served as Acting DCM and Political-Economic Section Chief.

Prior assignments include tours in Guangzhou, China; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and Moscow, Russia, the embassy said.

Before joining the US Department of State, David was a lawyer specializing in antitrust law.

He worked for the US Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division in Washington, DC; the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in Melbourne, Australia; and various private firms. (Colombo/Sep18/2026)