Sri Lanka’s Manufacturing PMI fell to 53 in August 2026 from 55 in July, indicating continued expansion in the manufacturing sector, albeit at a slower pace. All sub-indices remained above the neutral threshold, although production weighed on the index, falling into negative territory amid lower activity in the manufacture of textiles and wearing apparel. Lead times lengthened, reflecting persistent supply disruptions, while new orders were largely unchanged at the neutral 50 mark. Meanwhile, stocks of purchases increased amid a gradual build-up of inventories in preparation for year-end seasonal production. Employment also rose, reflecting continued hiring. Looking ahead, manufacturers remained optimistic, although sentiment moderated amid expectations of a year-end seasonal upturn. source: Central Bank of Sri Lanka

Manufacturing PMI in Sri Lanka decreased to 53 points in August from 55 points in July of 2026. Manufacturing PMI in Sri Lanka averaged 53.64 points from 2015 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 67.30 points in May of 2015 and a record low of 24.20 points in April of 2020. This page provides - Sri Lanka Manufacturing Pmi- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Manufacturing PMI in Sri Lanka decreased to 53 points in August from 55 points in July of 2026. Manufacturing PMI in Sri Lanka is expected to be 52.90 points by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Sri Lanka Manufacturing PMI is projected to trend around 55.00 points in 2027 and 56.00 points in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Business Confidence 101.00 104.00 points Jun 2026
Capacity Utilization 62.00 60.00 percent Dec 2024
Car Registrations 11759.00 10442.00 Units Jun 2026
Changes in Inventories 2905920.00 2186154.00 LKR Million Dec 2025
Industrial Production 0.20 0.80 percent Jul 2026


Sri Lanka Manufacturing PMI
The Sri Lanka Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index measures the performance of the manufacturing sector and is derived from a survey of 150 industrial companies. The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index is based on five individual indexes with the following weights: New Orders, Output, Employment, Suppliers’ Delivery Times and Stock of Items Purchased, with the Delivery Times index inverted so that it moves in a comparable direction. A reading above 50 indicates an expansion of the manufacturing sector compared to the previous month; below 50 represents a contraction; while 50 indicates no change.

News Stream
Sri Lanka Manufacturing Activity Eases
Sri Lanka’s Manufacturing PMI fell to 53 in August 2026 from 55 in July, indicating continued expansion in the manufacturing sector, albeit at a slower pace. All sub-indices remained above the neutral threshold, although production weighed on the index, falling into negative territory amid lower activity in the manufacture of textiles and wearing apparel. Lead times lengthened, reflecting persistent supply disruptions, while new orders were largely unchanged at the neutral 50 mark. Meanwhile, stocks of purchases increased amid a gradual build-up of inventories in preparation for year-end seasonal production. Employment also rose, reflecting continued hiring. Looking ahead, manufacturers remained optimistic, although sentiment moderated amid expectations of a year-end seasonal upturn.
2026-09-15
Sri Lanka Manufacturing Activity Picks Up in July
Sri Lanka’s Manufacturing PMI rose to 55 in July 2026, up from 53 in June, indicating a faster expansion in manufacturing activity. New orders (55.9 vs 50) and production (54.5 vs 52) increased, driven by robust performance in the food and beverage manufacturing sector. Reflecting positive expectations for activity, employment rose to 51 from 50.5, while stocks of purchases remained in expansionary territory at 51.5, despite easing from 56.6. Meanwhile, suppliers’ delivery times remained extended at 61.5, little changed from 61.6, pointing to persistent supply-chain pressures as geopolitical tensions persist. Overall, manufacturers remained optimistic about activity over the next three months, while maintaining caution amid global uncertainties.
2026-08-17
Sri Lanka Manufacturing Activity Slows in June
Sri Lanka's Manufacturing PMI fell to 53.0 in June 2026 from 56.6 in the previous month, signaling a slower pace of manufacturing expansion. New orders eased to the neutral mark (50.0) from 52.6, indicating broadly unchanged demand from the previous month. Production continued to expand but at a slower pace (54.6 vs. 57.2), supported mainly by food and beverage manufacturing. Hiring remained robust and broadly in line with the previous month (59.7 vs. 60.5), although manufacturers continued to face challenges from skilled labor shortages and rising labor costs. Supplier delivery times lengthened further (66.3 vs. 61.6), while inventories increased (56.6 vs 52.6) as firms sought to mitigate supply disruptions linked to the conflict in the Middle East. Despite these headwinds, manufacturers' expectations remained positive, although geopolitical uncertainty continued to weigh on the outlook.
2026-07-15