AEIR 2017

GDP grew by 3.8% in the first quarter of 2017 and 4.0% in the second to hold growth in the first half of 2017 to 3.9% year on year, unchanged from the 2016 outcome. Agriculture was hit in the first quarter by continuing drought, causing a 3.2% decline. Industry grew by 6.3% in the first quarter and 5.2% in the second to bring first-half expansion to 5.8%. Garment production strengthened slightly in the second quarter but was offset by a marked slowing in construction, to 9.3% from 16.1% in the first quarter. Services expanded by 3.5% in the first quarter and 4.5% in the second for 4.0% growth in the first half. While global trade growth augurs well for industry in the second half, the forecast for GDP growth in 2017 is revised down by 0.5 percentage points. The higher forecast for 2018 is maintained as Sri Lanka pursues economic adjustment agreed with the International Monetary Fund.

Source: Asian Development Outlook 2017 Update, ADB.
Latest Month-Ago Year-Ago
Composite Stock Price Index 1 6.0 (Apr18)6.0 6.0
Broad Money Growth 2 17.7 (Feb18)17.7 17.9
Headline Inflation Rate 3 2.8 (Mar18)3.2 8.6
Industrial/ Manufacturing Production Growth Rate 3 -0.4 (Oct17)4.7 -3.4
Merchandise Export Growth 3 11.5 (Jan18)11.5 18.7
Exchange Rate Index 4 153.1 (Apr18)152.5 149.0
1 Monthly average, local index.
2 %.
3 y-o-y, %.
4 Monthly average, January 2006 = 100, $/local currency.
Source: Bloomberg LP; CEIC database; Department of Census and Statistics; ; Central Bank of Sri Lanka.


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