Bancassurance Expansion: HNB Life signed an MoU with Pan Asia Banking Corporation to widen its partnership distribution network and expand access to life insurance solutions across Sri Lanka. Capital Markets Spotlight: CFA Society Sri Lanka will hold its 13th Annual Capital Market Awards on 10 Sept 2026, marking the society’s 25th anniversary and featuring Simon Ng, CFA, as keynote. Digital Banking Push: Commercial Bank of Ceylon showcased an Open Digital Architecture deployment at DTW Ignite 2026 with Axonect, aiming to modernise legacy systems while keeping governance and compliance tight. Financial Inclusion for Estates: UNDP and Visa launched a pilot in Hope Estate, Hewaheta to boost financial literacy and formal/digital finance access for 50 women and youth agri-producers. Tax Compliance Support: KPMG Sri Lanka Academy ran a webinar on final tax payment and income return filing for the 2025/26 compliance cycle. CSE & Corporate Moves: Co-operative Insurance redeemed 1.1m cumulative redeemable preference shares for Rs. 16.61m; Lanka IOC marked its 25th year with a CSE market opening bell ceremony. IMF Next Steps: IMF staff will visit Sri Lanka from 10–23 Sept for discussions on the Seventh Review and the 2026 Article IV. Judicial Reform Tensions: Opposition lawmakers and lawyers protested proposed judicial reforms, warning they could undermine independence. Market Update: Sri Lanka shares rose 0.3% on Thursday, led by materials stocks, with foreign investors net buying.