COVID-19 severely hit the economy, causing a loss of tourism receipts and necessitating several strict lockdowns. Pre-pandemic tax cuts and the impact of COVID-19 led to fiscal deficits larger than 10 percent of GDP in 2020 and 2021 and a rapid increase in public debt to 119 percent of GDP in...

This paper discusses economic performance, outlook, and risks of Sri Lankan economy. Macroeconomic performance in 2015 reflected a mix between positive underlying growth momentum, the negative impact of unbalanced domestic policies, and an increasingly difficult external environment. The...

This paper discusses recent economic developments, outlook, and policies required to stabilize the economy of Sri Lanka. Recent economic developments reflect a more challenging external environment as well as a sharpening of macro-financial imbalances that began emerging late in 2014. Fiscal...