Sri Lanka: Wholesale price index (2010 = 100)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2018, Sri Lanka's wholesale price index (2010 = 100) rose 4.94 on 2017 (from 145.76 to 150.7).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2017), the average change was +4.5 and a typical year strayed about 4.75 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 18.73 in 2008 and the biggest yearly fall was 3.92 in 2009. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2009 to 2018 the straight-line trend is upward, about 6.33 a year. A straight line explains 97% 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.

A straight-line projection, tested first

Extending that straight line gives about 171.29 for 2021. We show this only because the same method, fitted on earlier years, predicted 2016 to 2018 better than "no change" would have: its average miss was 9.56, against 13.76 for assuming no change. Treat it as a continuation of the recent pattern, not a forecast of events: it cannot see a recession, a policy change or a revision to the data.

See how a linear trend forecast works and the guide on forecasting without fooling yourself.

Closest to Sri Lanka in the 2018 ranking

• Indonesia — 2nd of 2: 96.49

What this measures

Index of prices of a mix of agricultural and industrial goods at various stages of production and distribution, including import duties, as compared to a certain reference period (2010=100).

All 45 values

Wholesale price index (2010 = 100) in nearby economies

• India — 189.37 (2024)

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
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Sri Lanka's wholesale price index (2010 = 100)?

150.7 in 2018, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1974?

It is up 5,767% from 2.57 in 1974 (9.7% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 150.7 in 2018 and the lowest 2.57 in 1974.

Is the latest change in wholesale price index (2010 = 100) unusual for Sri Lanka?

In 2018, Sri Lanka's wholesale price index (2010 = 100) rose 4.94 on 2017 (from 145.76 to 150.7). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2017), the average change was +4.5 and a typical year strayed about 4.75 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 FP.WPI.TOTL, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF) 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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