🚗 Vehicle Import Demand Stabilises as Pent-Up Rush Ends

• Central Bank (CBSL) Governor confirms the initial surge in vehicle imports—following the lifting of the five-year suspension on 1 February 2025—has tapered off, with pent-up demand largely exhausted by November. • Letters of Credit (LCs) for vehicles, which spiked sharply in July, have since declined, indicating a market normalisation and easing pressures on foreign exchange outflows. • Key Figures (9M 2025): • Total vehicle imports (personal and commercial units) for the first nine months of 2025 reached US$ 1.2 Bn. • Imports in September 2025 alone totalled US$ 286 Mn. • The move towards market equilibrium is expected to help restore balance in the external sector, contributing to broader economic stability. Import prices for vehicles are also reported to be falling.