SriLanka, Oct. 31 -- Colombo's annual inflation accelerated to 8.3 percent in October, from 8.0 percent in September, with higher transport, housing and food costs adding to the household expenditure, according to the Census and Statistics Department.

The increase followed two consecutive months at 8.0 percent and took inflation to its highest level so far in 2026. Annual inflation stood at 2.3 percent in January, fell to 1.6 percent in February and has risen each month since March, apart from September's pause.

The non-food items accounted for nearly two-thirds of October's annual price increase, underscoring the pressure from expenditure beyond the food basket. Transport alone contributed 2.56 percentage points to headline inflation, ...