The external sector of the Sri Lankan economy remained resilient in April 2025, supported by healthy inflows from tourist earnings and workers’ remittances, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).
The External Sector Performance report issued by the Economic Research Department of the CBSL states that reflecting the resilience of the external sector, the monthly current account has remained in surplus since January 2025.
It also noted that the merchandise trade deficit widened in April 2025 compared to both April 2024 and March 2025. This was as a result of merchandise imports growing at a higher pace (17.5 %, y-o-y), mainly driven by imports of motor vehicles (US dollars 134 million), compared to the growth in merchandise exports (10.4 %, y-o-y).
The terms of trade improved during the month of April, as the decline in import prices was greater than the decline in export prices, the CBSL added.
According to the External Sector Performance report, foreign investments in the government securities market shifted from a net inflow in the previous month to a marginal net outflow of USD 12 million, while the foreign investments in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) (considering both primary and secondary markets) recorded a turnaround from a net outflow to a marginal net inflow of USD 3 million.
