Vehicle imports surge in September ends current account surplus run

September suffers first monthly current account deficit of 2025 at $183 m influenced by $ 286 m vehicle imports; Jan.-Sep. vehicle imports total $ 1.2 b

- 

Nine-month current account surplus rises 29% YoY to $ 1.9 b on moderate exports, tourism growth and higher remittances

Merchandise trade deficit widens 43.5% to $910 min Sept. and 23% to $5.17 b in first nine months

Imports jump 24.5% to cross $2 b mark in Sept., up 12.2% to $ 15.4 b by end-Sept.

Exports up 12.5% to $1.13b in Sept., and by 7.3% to $10.2 b by end-Sept.

Services net inflows dip 6% in Sep. but up 1.7% YoY

Rupee depreciates 3.9% YTD against USD; reserves steady at $ 6.2 b including PBOC swap Foreign investments report net inflow to Govt. securities; outflow from CSE

SRI Lanka's external sector remained robust in the first nine months of 2025, despite the current account registering a deficit of $ 183 million in September 2025 for the first time this year on surging vehicle imports.