FINANCIAL CHRONICLE – The growth of Sri Lanka’s manufacturing sector slowed down in June, with the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) compiled by the central bank reporting a value of 53.0, a decline from 56.6 in May.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) noted that while manufacturing activities are still expanding, the rate of this growth has diminished compared to the previous month.
Despite this ongoing expansion, the CBSL highlighted that significant global uncertainties continue to threaten the sector’s outlook, particularly due to the challenging conditions stemming from unrest in West Asia.
The New Orders sub-index remained stable at the neutral mark of 50.0, showing little change from May’s reading of 52.6.
Production activities continued to grow, particularly in the food and beverages sector, as reported by the CBSL.
The Employment sub-index also hovered around the neutral zone, indicating that hiring patterns have remained consistent with those observed in the prior month. However, many industry participants reported ongoing challenges related to a shortage of skilled labor and increasing labor costs.
Additionally, the Stock of Purchases saw an upward trend, reflecting companies’ efforts to bolster their inventories amid a fluctuating supply environment.
Furthermore, the time taken for suppliers to deliver goods increased in June.
(Colombo/Jul15/2026)
