CCPI spikes in April, exceeds CBSL primary target | Daily FT

Ft · 🇱🇰 public Sri Lanka · May 04, 2026 · 493 words

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Daily briefing

What to know about CCPI spikes in April, exceeds CBSL primary target

Inflation was stable at 2.1% in October, November, and December 2025.

Claims checked 11

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Inflation was stable at 2.1% in October, November, and December 2025.

Why it matters

Food inflation YoY was up sharply to 2.8% in April from 0.7% in March and 0.2% in February, but remained relatively lower than 3.3% in January and 3% in December 2025.

Common ground

Non-food inflation YoY accelerated to 6.8% in April, up significantly from 2.9% in March, and up from 2.3% in February and 1.8% in January.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: CCPI spikes in April, exceeds CBSL primary target?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that In March, the CBSL had forecast inflation to reach the target of 5% in the second quarter of 2026?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.ft.lk/business/CCPI-spikes-in-April-exceeds-CBSL-primary-target/34-7…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 11 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5

info Single Source 3

help Insufficient Evidence 2

schedule Pending 1

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Claim 1: “In March, the CBSL had forecast inflation to reach the target of 5% in the second quarter of 2026”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found regarding the CBSL's specific inflation forecast for Q2 2026 in the provided search results.

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Claim 2: “On a month-on-month (M-o-M) basis, the CCPI recorded an increase of 2.99% in April, a sharp increase from 0.25% in March and compared to a 0.85% decrease in February.”

CORROBORATED

Three sources confirm the M-o-M CCPI changes: April (+2.99% in 'CCPI based headline inflation' and 'EconomyNext'), March (+0.25% in 'CCPI based headline inflation accelerated in March 2026'), and February (-0.85% in 'Sri Lanka pegs in both directions in March').

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web search NEUTRAL — Month on month changes in the Colombo Consumer Price Index is briefly described below. Table 1- Monthly Changes by main Groups of Market Basket.January February March April May June July.
https://www.statistics.gov.lk/WebReleases/CCPI_20250930E

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web search NEUTRAL — On a month-on-month basis, the CCPI recorded an increase of 2.99% in April 2026.Headline Inflation Projectionsa (CCPI,b y-o-y). Based on the projections during the March 2026 monetary policy round.
https://www.cbsl.gov.lk/sites/default/files/cbslweb_document…

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web search NEUTRAL — Measured by the Colombo Consumers’ Price Index (CCPI), inflation largely increased as a result of changes to the base year and market basket, in addition to the drought conditions.Find us on Facebook.
https://lmd.lk/hike-in-consumer-price-inflation/

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Claim 3: “The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) last week said headline inflation YoY accelerated to 5.4% in April”

CORROBORATED

Two independent sources (EconomyNext and a report on CCPI headline inflation) confirm that Sri Lanka's inflation was 5.4% in April 2026.

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web search NEUTRAL — The following table provides information on the annual inflation of the consumer price indices based on data published by World Bank.[1] For cumulative inflation or change in consumer price indices se…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_inflation…

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web search NEUTRAL — Sri Lanka inflation 5.4-pct in April 2026 after sharp fuel price hike. More deaths reported at Sri Lanka fuel queues.Both food commodities and non-food items contributed to the April inflation. The da…
https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-customs-exceeds-revenue-ta…

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web search NEUTRAL — In the Eurozone annual inflation is expected to reach 3% in April 2026, up from 2.6% in March, according to a preliminary estimate released on Thursday by the European Statistical Office, Eurostat.
https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2026/04/30/inflation-greec…

info

Claim 4: “Food inflation YoY was up sharply to 2.8% in April from 0.7% in March and 0.2% in February, but remained relatively lower than 3.3% in January and 3% in December 2025.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific breakdown of food inflation percentages for April, March, February, January, and December is not corroborated by the provided search results, which focus more on headline and non-food inflation.

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web search NEUTRAL — • 2026 estimate.Sri Lanka's irrigation system was extensively expanded during the reign of Parākramabāhu the Great (1153–1186).[71] This period is considered as a time when Sri Lanka was at the height…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka

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web search NEUTRAL — Inflation Rate in China decreased to 1 percent in March from 1.30 percent in February of 2026. This page provides - China Inflation Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, …
https://tradingeconomics.com/china/inflation-cpi

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web search NEUTRAL — Inflation Rate 2026 (%)↓. Date Measured.The rising inflation became so bad that it sparked protests and ultimately the ousting of President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/inflation…

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Claim 5: “Core inflation YoY accelerated to 2.8% in April, an increase from 2.5% in March and 2.1% in February.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found for core inflation figures in the provided search results.

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Claim 6: “Inflation was stable at 2.1% in October, November, and December 2025.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While a CBSL page mentions October 2025, the provided evidence does not specify the inflation rate for October, November, and December 2025 as being 2.1%.

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web search NEUTRAL — 31.10.2025 Inflation in October 2025 - CCPI.Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka. International Monetary Fund. Colombo Stock Exchange. Credit Information Bureau. Sri Lanka Accounting and Auditing Standar…
https://www.cbsl.gov.lk/en/measures-of-consumer-price-inflat…

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web search NEUTRAL — Inflation Rate in Sri Lanka increased to 2.20 percent in March from 1.60 percent in February of 2026. This page provides - Sri Lanka Inflation Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, s…
https://tradingeconomics.com/sri-lanka/inflation-cpi

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web search NEUTRAL — Updated charts and forecasts on Sri Lanka Inflation (CCPI, ann. var. %, aop). Get access to accurate economic data and projections now.
https://www.focus-economics.com/country-indicator/sri-lanka/…

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Claim 7: “In March, the non-food category had contributed 0.52 percentage points also due to higher transportation costs, while the food category had contributed a negative 0.27 percentage points to the M-o-M CCPI increase.”

CORROBORATED

The 'Monthly Economic Watch' explicitly states the Non-Food category contributed +0.52% in March. Other sources confirm the March M-o-M increase was 0.25% and that food contributed negatively or minimally.

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web search NEUTRAL — Meanwhile, Non-Food inflation (Y-o-Y) accelerated to 2.9% in March 2026 from 2.3% in February 2026. On a month-on-month basis, the CCPI recorded an increase of 0.25% in March 2026.
https://www.cbsl.gov.lk/en/news/inflation-in-march-2026-ccpi

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web search NEUTRAL — The Non-Food category contributed +0.52%.The YoY inflation of CCPI for Mar-26 stood at +2.2%, which marked an increase from the +1.6% level that was seen in Feb-26. Contribution of Food inflation stoo…
https://firstcapital.lk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Monthly-E…

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web search NEUTRAL — “On a month-on-month basis, the CCPI recorded a decrease of 0.85% in February 2026.
https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-pegs-in-both-directions-in…

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Claim 8: “inflation, now near zero after falling sharply from around 70% in 2023, remains below the CBSL’s 5% target band of 3% to 7%”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 9: “Non-food inflation YoY accelerated to 6.8% in April, up significantly from 2.9% in March, and up from 2.3% in February and 1.8% in January.”

CORROBORATED

The 'CCPI based headline inflation' source confirms non-food inflation was 6.8% in April 2026 and 2.9% in March 2026. The 'CCPI based headline inflation accelerated in March 2026' source confirms March (2.9%) and February (2.3%).

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web search NEUTRAL — Inflation Rate in Singapore increased to 1.80 percent in March from 1.20 percent in February of 2026. This page provides - Singapore Inflation Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, s…
https://tradingeconomics.com/singapore/inflation-cpi

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web search NEUTRAL — Inflation Rate 2026 (%)↓. Date Measured.Data for a given year may have been parsed at any time during that year. 2026 data are incomplete.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/inflation…

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web search NEUTRAL — Inflation accelerates again in 2025 and 2026. After HICP inflation declined to 5.8% in 2024, price increases accelerated in the third quarter of 2025.
https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/economic-surveillance-e…

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Claim 10: “headline inflation YoY accelerated to 5.4% in April at a faster pace compared to 2.2% in March and 1.6% in February, which was lower than 2.3% in January.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the trend: 'Sri Lanka Inflation Rate' source confirms March (2.2%) and February (1.6%), and 'Monthly Economic Watch' confirms March (+2.2%) and February (+1.6%).

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web search NEUTRAL — April 2026. Projections Table. Chapters in the Report.The estimates and projections in the April 2026 World Economic Outlook Chapter 1 and Statistical Appendix are based on statistical information ava…
https://www.imf.org/en/publications/weo/issues/2026/04/14/wo…

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web search NEUTRAL — Data for a given year may have been parsed at any time during that year. 2026 data are incomplete. In economic terms, inflation is the rate at which the general prices for goods and services rise in a…
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/inflation…

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web search NEUTRAL — 2026-03-13. Russia Inflation Rebounds in January. The annual inflation rate in Russia rose to 6% in January of 2026 from the over two-year low of 5.6% in the previous month.
https://tradingeconomics.com/russia/inflation-cpi

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Claim 11: “The April increase was driven by the non-food category, which contributed 2.43 percentage points, largely owing to the increase in prices of the transport sub-category, while the food category contributed 0.56 percentage points, the CBSL said.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While sources confirm the overall April CCPI increase of 2.99% and that both food and non-food contributed, the specific percentage point contributions (2.43 and 0.56) are not explicitly corroborated across multiple independent sources in the provided text.

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web search NEUTRAL — Non-Food inflation (Y-o-Y) accelerated to 6.8% in April 2026 from 2.9% in March 2026, contributing significantly to the increase in headline inflation. On a month-on-month basis, the CCPI recorded an …
https://www.cbsl.gov.lk/en/news/inflation-in-april-2026-ccpi

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web search NEUTRAL — Both food commodities and non-food items contributed to the April inflation. The data showed. The CCPI recorded an increase of 2.99 percent in April compared to March 2026.
https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-customs-exceeds-revenue-ta…

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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.