Fitch Ratings – Fitch Ratings has assigned Sampath Bank PLC’s (AA-(lka)/Stable) proposed Sri Lankan rupee-denominated Basel III-compliant subordinated debentures of up to LKR10 billion an expected National Long-Term Rating of ‘A(EXP)(lka)’.

The proposed debentures, which will mature in five and seven years, will be listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. The bank plans to use the proceeds to supplement its Tier 2 capital base to maintain capital adequacy compliance as well as to support loan book growth.

The bank expects the proposed debentures to qualify as Basel III-compliant regulatory Tier 2 capital. The debentures include a non-viability clause that states they will convert to ordinary voting shares upon the occurrence of a trigger event, as determined by the Governing Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

The final rating is subject to the receipt of final documentation conforming to information already received.

Key Rating Drivers
Fitch rates the proposed Basel III Tier 2 debentures two notches below the bank’s National Long-Term Rating of ‘AA-(lka)’. This reflects Fitch’s baseline notching for loss severity for this type of debt and our expectations of poor recoveries. There is no additional notching for non-performance risks, as the proposed notes do not incorporate going-concern loss-absorption features.

Sampath’s National Long-Term Rating is used as the anchor rating for this instrument because the rating reflects the bank’s standalone financial strength and best indicates the risk of the bank becoming non-viable.

Fitch affirmed Sampath’s ratings on 17 August 2026. See our latest rating action commentary, Fitch Affirms Sampath Bank at ‘AA-(lka)’; Outlook Stable , for the key rating drivers and sensitivities.

Rating Sensitivities

Factors that Could, Individually or Collectively, Lead to Negative Rating Action/Downgrade
A downgrade of the bank’s National Long-Term Rating will lead to a downgrade of the expected subordinated debt rating.

Factors that Could, Individually or Collectively, Lead to Positive Rating Action/Upgrade
An upgrade of the bank’s National Long-Term Rating will lead to an upgrade of the expected subordinated debt rating.

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka has sold 8,000 million rupees of treasury bills offered on tap at an average rate of 9.24 percent, the public debt management office said, bringing the total of bills sold this week to 88 billion rupees.

Total market subscription was 8,000 million rupees.

The debt office sold a 6-month bill at 9.24 percent.

On Wednesday (9) the debt office raised 80 billion rupees of 3, 6 and 12 month bills.

Read more
Sri Lanka Treasury bill yields dip across longer terms, Rs80bn sold

The 3-month and 6-month bills were later offered on tap. (Colombo/Sep11/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs had called for applications to fill 500 vacancies in 25 state institutions under it and received 17,000 applications, Minister Hiniduma Sunil Senevi told Parliament.

The public sector recruitment drive was to resolve labour shortages across the state institutions, he said, including the Central Cultural Fund and the Department of Archaeology.

“All 25 institutions under my ministry, including the Fund and the Department of Archaeology, are places facing severe vacancies,” Senevi said.

Recruitment is proceeding rapidly, with a large round of appointments ranging from executive grades downward recently conducted for both institutions.

The lack of recruitment over an extended period had created critical operational gaps across the cultural sector, he claimed such as a shortage of 850 watchmen in the Department of Archaeology.

Addressing staffing concerns raised regarding locations such as Gal Vihara, Senevi said the Archaeology Department mainly needs watchmen and work assistants to maintain operations.

“The closing date to recruit 500 work assistants was just the other day. Believe it or not, over 17,000 applications have been received,” Senavi said. (Colombo/Sep11/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – A 5-day training course on the Sovereign Risk and Debt Sustainability Framework (SRDSF), held in Colombo, focused on developing the technical skills of Sri Lankan officials and international participants.

The IMF South Asia Regional Training and Technical Assistance Center (SARTTAC) organized the training on the SRDSF at the Taj Samudra from September 7 to 11, as part of the IMF’s capacity development program.

The event brings together international participants alongside officials from several Sri Lankan institutions, including the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO) and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

“The training focuses on enhancing participants’ technical skills to assess sovereign risks, evaluate debt sustainability, and measure the impact of macroeconomic and financing shocks on public debt, while fostering knowledge sharing and the exchange of international best practices,” the Ministry of Finance said.

Director General of Public Debt Management Office, Sri Lanka highlighted the importance of robust analytical capabilities in guiding sound, evidence-based public debt decisions.

“The training offers a vital opportunity for local officials, particularly within the PDMO to adopt international approaches to debt sustainability analysis and Sovereign risk assessment.”

The expertise gained through the training will strengthen Sri Lanka’s ability to identify and manage emerging sovereign risks within a sustainable financial framework, the ministry said. (Colombo/Sep11/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange indices were trading down on Friday morning, CSE data showed, with the benchmark All Share Price Index moving down 0.23 percent.

The ASPI was down 48.25 points at 21,309.49, while the more liquid S&P SL20 was down 0.03 percent, or 1.56 points, at 6,002.36.

Positive contributors to the ASPI were ACL Cables (up 0.74 percent at 95.60 rupees), Industrial Asphalts (Ceylon) (up 16.67 percent at 0.70 rupees), and RIL Property (up 0.83 percent at 24.30 rupees).

Melstacorp (down 1.08 percent at 184.00 rupees), Sampath Bank (down 0.36 percent at 139.00 rupees), Royal Ceramics Lanka (down 1.44 percent at 47.80 rupees), and Ceylon Tobacco Company (down 0.54 percent at 1,780.00 rupees) were top negative contributors.

Market turnover was 221.65 million rupees. Capital goods led turnover with 89.85 million rupees.

Ramboda Falls announced an interim dividend of 0.50 rupees per share for the financial year 2026/2027, with the XD date set for September 21, 2026, and payment dispatch scheduled for October 8, 2026.

Shares of Ramboda Falls were trading up 1.27 percent at 24.00 rupees. (Colombo/September11/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – The Sri Lanka Economic & Investment Summit 2026, SLEIS 2026, next month will focus on how the country can maintain its growth momentum while preparing for the challenges ahead, organizers said.

Policymakers, business leaders and international experts will meet at the event, organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on October 12-13, to examine how Sri Lanka can build greater resilience.

Titled “Beyond Crisis Management: Building a Shock-Resilient Sri Lankan Economy,” the session will examine the vulnerabilities exposed by recent economic and external shocks and consider what needs to be put in place to ensure that future disruptions do not repeatedly set back economic progress.

Lilia Aleksanyan, Senior Country Economist for Sri Lanka – Asian Development Bank, will deliver the keynote address.

A panel discussion will follow featuring Chandranath Amarasekara, Senior Deputy Governor – Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Sabrina Esufally, Executive Director – Hemas Holdings, and Roshan Perera, Consultant – Centre for Poverty Analysis and Former Director – CBSL.

The discussion will be moderated by Dhananath Fernando, Chief Executive Officer -Advocata Institute.

The session will consider how Sri Lanka can strengthen macroeconomic stability, safeguard livelihoods and improve the resilience of businesses and key economic institutions.

It will also examine the role of international partnerships, investment, innovation and business leadership in building an economy that can adapt to changing conditions without losing sight of longer-term development goals.

The discussion will consider what needs to be put in place beforehand, including stronger institutions, sound economic policies, greater diversification, resilient businesses and the capacity to respond quickly when external or domestic pressures emerge. (Colombo/Sep11/2026)