Sri Lanka’s Manufacturing PMI registered 53.0 in September 2026, unchanged from the previous month, signaling a sustained expansion in the sector as all sub-indices remained above the neutral 50 mark. New orders continued to grow, while production returned to positive territory, largely driven by higher activity in the food and beverages and textiles and wearing apparel industries. Employment also increased at a solid pace, though the rate of expansion eased compared with August (52.6 vs. 54.8). Meanwhile, stocks of purchases edged closer to the neutral threshold, and supplier delivery times continued to lengthen at the same pace as in the prior month. Looking ahead, business sentiment for the next three months remained positive, supported mainly by expectations of stronger seasonal demand toward the end of the year.