News & market updates

Sri Lanka stocks rose 0.98% as the ASPI gained 225.77 points to 23,338.25 amid the national budget reading; top contributors included Senkadagala Finance, Commercial Bank, Sampath Bank and HNB, with Kotmale Holdings the top gainer.

The ASPI briefly crossed an all-time high of 23,000 before dipping and closed at 22,953.49, up 0.11% (25.18 points). Turnover topped Rs.4.4bn with net foreign outflows of ~Rs.485.4m and heavy participation in counters including Aitken Spence, Colombo Dockyard, Sunshine and Commercial Bank.

Colombo market opened higher as the ASPI rose 0.54% (+123.47 pts) to 22,928.31 with turnover over Rs.5.7bn and foreign net outflow of Rs.645.4m. Aitken Spence and Sierra Cables led capital-goods turnover; PKME, JKH, COMB, SFCL and BUKI were key positives while SPEN eased and SIRA was flat.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon (COMB.N0000) served as Official Banking Partner and Chairman Sharhan Muhseen delivered a special address at the Asian Digital Finance Forum & Awards 2025 in Port City Colombo. The forum focused on AI, fintech, digital public infrastructure and honoured Port City Colombo as a visionary financial hub.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon signed an MoU with Home Lands Skyline to finance up to 100% of the purchase price for the developer's condominium and gated-house units. Financing will be provided via tripartite agreements to expand the bank's housing loan portfolio and buyer convenience.

GovPay launched traffic fine payments in the Northern Province, enabling on-the-spot payments via bank and fintech apps; since April 2025 it has processed 23,539 spot fines totaling over Rs.31 million.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed up 0.54% as the ASPI rose 123.47 pts to 22,928.31 and the S&P SL20 gained 0.62% to 6,252.40. Top contributors were Senkadagala Finance, Bukit Darah, John Keells Holdings and Commercial Bank; turnover edged to 5.7 billion rupees and spot gold was $4,013.70.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon opened two Al Adalah Islamic Banking counters at its Dehiwala and Galle Fort branches. These are the bank's fourth and fifth Islamic units, providing Sharia-compliant accounts, lending, import financing and staffed by trained Islamic banking officers.

Fitch has assigned CBC Finance Ltd's proposed LKR1.5 billion subordinated debentures a National Long-Term Rating of 'BBB+(lka)'. The debentures will carry fixed coupons, mature in five years, are two notches below CBCF's national rating, and Fitch expects CBCF would receive extraordinary support from parent Commercial Bank of Ceylon.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon opened dedicated Al Adalah Islamic Banking Counters at its Dehiwala and Galle Fort branches. These are the bank's fourth and fifth Islamic units, staffed by trained personnel offering Sharia-compliant accounts and financing products under its Al Adalah brand.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon's leadership met Bangladesh Bank Governor in Dhaka to discuss aligning the bank's strategies with Bangladesh Bank policy, expanding operations in Bangladesh, offering IFRS transition support, and enhancing bilateral financial cooperation.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon leadership met the Governor of Bangladesh Bank in Dhaka to discuss aligning strategies, expansion of its Bangladesh operations, greater bilateral cooperation and offering support for Bangladesh’s transition to the IFRS reporting regime.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon employees wore pink on 24 October to support breast cancer awareness, ran branch awareness sessions and the bank was Gold Sponsor of the 2025 TLC triathlon. The bank reaffirmed commitments to women’s empowerment via workplace policies and its Anagi women’s banking products with IFC.

Colombo market closed marginally up as the ASPI rose 0.26% to 22,850.95 on Rs. 9.2bn turnover, led by gains in Hayleys, Bairaha, Colombo Dockyard, Royal Ceramics, LAUGFS Gas and Dipped Products while DFCC, HNB, Commercial Bank and JKH declined; foreigners were net buyers (Rs. 13.8m).

Commercial Bank of Ceylon (COMB.N0000) received Global Finance's 'Best Bank in Sri Lanka' award at the IMF/World Bank meetings in Washington DC — the 23rd year the bank has won the accolade.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon (COMB.N0000) was presented Global Finance's 'Best Bank in Sri Lanka' award in Washington DC, marking the 23rd year the bank has received the accolade.

The EPF recorded an unrealized profit of Rs.73.97 billion on its Colombo Stock Exchange holdings as of June 30, 2025, with its Rs.85.88 billion invested across 64 listed companies rising to a market value of Rs.159.85 billion.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon signed an MoU with APIIT Sri Lanka to promote its Education Loans covering up to 90% of course fees (max Rs.10 million), laptop loans up to Rs.1 million, a grace period up to two years and up to 50% waiver on documentation charges.

SLEIS 2025 will feature a 'Capital Markets: Catalyst for Growth' session on Dec 2-3 to explore how equity and debt markets can finance Sri Lanka's growth; keynote by Ruchir Desai and a panel including NDB Capital, Commercial Bank, Colombo Stock Exchange and First Capital, with sponsors such as Dialog, Hayleys and Sunshine.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon is Gold Sponsor and Official Banking Partner for the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2025 Colombo leg on 18–19 Oct 2025. The tournament will be broadcast live and streamed via Dialog TV’s The Papare and SLT Mobitel Peo Sports.

ADB urged Sri Lanka to make cybersecurity and data protection core to its digital transformation. Government advisers said recent laws and institutions (PDPA, Data Protection Authority, National Cyber Security Centre) and a forthcoming Cyber Security Bill will underpin plans to grow the digital economy to $15bn by 2029 and boost digital exports.

Commercial Bank, DFCC, HNB, NDB, Sampath Bank and Seylan partnered with Home Lands at its Home Lands EXPO 2025 to offer up to 100% financing, including the Wealth Builder plan with no down payment, to support purchases of Home Lands projects.

IMF and G20 participants urged greater transparency and faster restructuring of non-bonded commercial loans to ease sovereign debt stress, highlighting risks for banks with exposures in vulnerable countries such as Sri Lanka.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon signed an MOU with Prime Lands and Prime Land Residencies to provide up to 100% financing for buyers of Prime Group condominium units and gated houses. The agreement enables tripartite arrangements between the bank, developer and buyer to access Commercial Bank’s home loan facilities.

AIA Sri Lanka held its Partnership Distribution Diamond Club 2025 in Osaka (11–14 June), recognising top bancassurance performers for FY2024, including representatives from NDB and Commercial Bank.

The Reserve Bank of India has allowed Indian banks and their Sri Lanka branches to lend to Sri Lankan customers denominated in Indian rupees, widening credit access and reducing exchange-rate risk for Sri Lankan businesses.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon (COMB.N0000) has appointed gold-medal athlete Tharushi Karunarathna as Brand Ambassador for the ComBank Digital App. The bank says the move is intended to boost customer engagement and promote its digital banking services.

Sri Lanka's banks cut foreign borrowings and boosted FX deposits and investments, lifting net foreign‑currency assets 42.5% y/y to USD 1.5bn at end‑Q2 2025. D‑SIBs (84.8% of these investments) and banks including Sampath Bank and HNB financed foreign governments and firms via sovereign securities and syndicated loans.

The Colombo bourse closed the four-day week higher as the ASPI rose 1.01% (223.83 pts) to 22,318.72 and the S&P SL20 gained 0.62% to 6,226.03, with weekly turnover of Rs.8.45bn and foreign net outflows of Rs.265.1m. JKH, HNB, LFIN, COMB and PKME were top positive contributors, while CFVF rose on a cash dividend announcement and ACL saw higher participation after a share subdivision.

Dhammika Perera part-sold his stake in Commercial Bank for Rs.5.5 billion, disposing 26.55 million voting shares at Rs.195 via 39 crossings. Commercial Bank saw 29 million shares trade for Rs.5.68 billion and its voting share closed at Rs.203.25, up 3%.