Sri Lanka: Listed domestic companies, total

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Sri Lanka's listed domestic companies, total rose 1.4% on 2024 (from 284 to 288).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +1% and a typical year strayed about 3.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 12.9% in 2011 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.7% in 2019. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is downward, about 1.01 a year. A straight line explains 36% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Sri Lanka had the 23rd highest value of the 64 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Sri Lanka in the 2025 ranking

• Saudi Arabia — 20th of 64: 391
• Bangladesh — 21st of 64: 360
• Brazil — 22nd of 64: 357
• Philippines — 24th of 64: 279
• Spain — 25th of 64: 272
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 26th of 64: 244

What this measures

Listed domestic companies, including foreign companies which are exclusively listed, are those which have shares listed on an exchange at the end of the year. Investment funds, unit trusts, and companies whose only business goal is to hold shares of other listed companies, such as holding companies and investment companies, regardless of their legal status, are excluded. A company with several classes of shares is counted once. Only companies admitted to listing on the exchange are included.

Limitations: Data cover measures of size (market capitalization, number of listed domestic companies) and liquidity (value of shares traded as a percentage of gross domestic product, value of shares traded as a percentage of market capitalization). The comparability of such data across countries may be limited by conceptual and statistical weaknesses, such as inaccurate reporting and differences in accounting standards.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 33 values

Listed domestic companies, total in nearby economies

• Bangladesh — 360 (2025)
• India — 8,510 (2025)

More financial sector data for Sri Lanka

• Consumer price index (2010 = 100) — 292.34 (2025)
• Inflation, consumer prices (annual % growth) — -4.76% (2025)
• DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) — US$300.95 (2025)
• Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) — US$300.85 (2025)
• GDP deflator (base year varies by country) — 249.46 (2025)
• Inflation, GDP deflator (annual % growth) — 3.69% (2025)
• Domestic credit to private sector by banks (% of GDP) — 46.87% (2019)
• Net domestic credit (current LCU) — 11.7 trillion (2019)
• Net foreign assets (current LCU) — 212.6 billion (2019)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Sri Lanka's listed domestic companies, total?

288 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1993?

It is up 46.19% from 197 in 1993 (1.19% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 297 in 2018 and the lowest 197 in 1993.

How does Sri Lanka rank?

23rd highest of 64 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in listed domestic companies, total unusual for Sri Lanka?

In 2025, Sri Lanka's listed domestic companies, total rose 1.4% on 2024 (from 284 to 288). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +1% and a typical year strayed about 3.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator CM.MKT.LDOM.NO, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: World Federation of Exchanges database, World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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