News & market updates

Colombo market rebounded as ASPI rose 0.4% (S&P SL20 +0.6%) on turnover of Rs.11.87bn led by CT Holdings (Rs.3.6bn), Cargills (Rs.1bn), CDB, PickMe and Sierra Cables. Selected banks (HNB, NDB, NHL, BIL, DFCC) were top positive contributors while foreign investors were net sellers (Rs.2.6bn), with CT Holdings seeing net foreign selling.

Colombo Stock Exchange rose as the ASPI gained 0.46% to 20,769, with a C T Holdings crossing contributing Rs 3.6bn to turnover; C T Holdings closed down Rs 29.75 at Rs 689. Banks led gains with HNB, NDB and DFCC up, while Sampath and Nations Trust fell.

LAUGFS Gas and LAUGFS Power shares surged (LAUGFS Gas voting +65.42% to Rs.66.50; LAUGFS Power non-voting +63% to Rs.14.20) after reports of a 50:50 partnership with Vallibel Three (Dhammika Perera). Meanwhile the ASPI fell 0.4% to 20,906 with declines led by HNB, COMB, DFCC, CINS and JKH; turnover leaders included RIL, CTHR and EBCR.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed lower; ASPI fell 0.41% to 20,905.83 and S&P SL20 fell 0.82% to 5,955.36. Laugfs-related buying lifted several stocks (not in shortlist) while Windforce, C T Holdings, Hayleys and Carson Cumberbatch rose and most banks including HNB, Commercial Bank and DFCC lost ground.

The Colombo market closed with the ASPI at 20,992, up 16 points, on turnover of Rs.5.6 billion; weekly ASPI and S&P SL20 fell 0.03% and 1.19% respectively. Property, capital-goods and consumer services stocks led turnover while select hotels and developers saw mixed flows and sizable corporate stake transactions were reported.

Colombo's ASPI hit an all-time high, closing at 21,062 (+65) on turnover of Rs.13.2bn with net foreign selling of Rs.1bn. John Keells and Commercial Bank led turnover while investor interest shifted toward property names such as Prime Lands Residencies and RIL Property.

CT Holdings (CTHR.N0000) appointed Marianne Page as a Non-Independent Non-Executive Director. She has served as a Non-Executive Director of Cargills Bank (CBNK.N0000) since 2019 and has extensive experience promoting Sri Lanka to foreign institutional investors.

Colombo market closed marginally up as the ASPI rose 0.2% (47 points) on turnover of Rs.7.46 bn while the S&P SL20 fell 0.2%. Dialog, Ambeon, Bukit Darah, Carson Cumberbatch and LOLC led gains, with EB Creasy, Sierra Cables, LVL Energy Fund and Raigam Wayamba also active and recording price gains.

Colombo market hit a record as the ASPI rose 289.69 points (1.45%) to close at 20,218 on turnover of Rs. 9.54bn. Banks led activity (bank sector +2.78%), with top contributors including COMB, DFCC, LOLC, NTB and SAMP.

ASPI rose 96.45 points (0.49%) to close at 19,923 as the CSE opened with mixed sentiment; foreigners were net sellers with a net outflow of Rs.117.2m. Banking led turnover (25%) while Capital Goods and Diversified Financials together contributed 28% of turnover.

Colombo's ASPI rose 0.49% to 19,923.02, led by buying in bank counters—mainly Commercial Bank and HNB—while the S&P SL20 edged down to 5,824.91. Notable movers included C T Holdings, Ceylinco, Carson and Dialog higher, with John Keells and Overseas Realty weaker; turnover fell to Rs 3.1bn.

Colombo market opened higher as the ASPI rose 0.26% (50 points) to close at 19,518, with turnover around Rs. 6.16 billion. Foreign investors were net buyers (Rs. 30.2m) and gains were led by Royal Ceramics, Melstacorp, Hemas, L B Finance and C T Holdings, with Capital Goods, Banking and Diversified Financials driving turnover.

Colombo's ASPI rose 0.26% (50.15 pts) to 19,517.86, led by gains in capital goods stocks including Royal Ceramics (RCL.N0000), Melstacorp (MELS.N0000), Hemas (HHL.N0000), L B Finance (LFIN.N0000) and C T Holdings (CTHR.N0000). Turnover increased to 6.1 billion rupees.

The ASPI rose 0.46% to 19,467.71 as retail buying in diversified financials lifted the market. Top contributors included Central Finance, C T Holdings, DFCC Bank, Bukit Darah and Melstacorp.

Colombo bourse hit a new high as the ASPI closed at 19,044, up roughly 70–77 points while the S&P SL20 fell about 8 points; turnover was around Rs.5.3–5.4bn and net foreign outflow stood at Rs.121.4m.

The All Share Price Index rose 0.37% to 19,044 while the S&P SL20 fell 0.15% to 5,646; turnover was 5.3 billion rupees and DFCC, Central Finance, Co-operative Insurance, C T Holdings and Lanka Realty Investments were notable gainers.

Cargills (Ceylon) PLC appointed Chulantha Wickramaratne, former Auditor General (2019-2025), as an Independent Non-Executive Director; Tara Page has resigned from the Board.

Dhammika Perera acquired a 77% stake in East West Properties for about Rs.3.2bn (off‑board at Rs.30.20), lifting EAST to Rs.31.80 as crossings drove turnover to Rs.8.88bn; ASPI fell 10 points. Banking names (Sampath, Commercial Bank, HNB) and diversified stocks also saw heavy activity while foreigners were net sellers of Rs.561mn.

Markets fell as Sri Lanka awaited a US tariff letter: ASPI down 0.06% to 18,032 and S&P SL20 down 0.34% to 5,321. Stocks weighed down included John Keells, C T Holdings, HNB, Royal Ceramics and Ceylon Tobacco; exporters Haycarb, Hayleys Fabric and Teejay Lanka slid while Dipped Products rose.

Colombo market fell as ASPI declined 0.58% (around 106 points) and S&P SL20 down 0.5% on low turnover of Rs.2.4bn; major drags included Melstacorp, Colombo Dockyard, Commercial Bank, Aitken Spence and NDB, while turnover was led by Sampath, John Keells and Vallibel Finance.

Colombo's ASPI finished the week up 1.5%, closing at 18,148 (up 47 pts) while the S&P SL20 gained 1.6%, with weekly turnover averaging Rs.6.8bn. Top contributors included John Keells, Melstacorp, Commercial Bank, Sunshine and CT Holdings, and food retailing led turnover.

CBSL has given Cargills Bank an extension to end-2029 to meet the Rs.20bn minimum capital requirement (current Rs.11.89bn), directing the bank to raise ~Rs.2.5bn equity by end-2025 and to cut major shareholders' stakes to 50% by 2025 and 15% by 2029.

ASPI fell 0.23% (41 points) to 18,000 as profit-taking weighed on the Colombo market, led by declines in HAYL, CTHR, DOCK, GRAN and SAMP. Turnover was Rs.5.6bn with capital goods (notably JKH, AEL) and banking among top contributors; foreign investors were net sellers of Rs.48.3m.

Colombo bourse rebounded as ASPI rose 0.8% (145 pts) to 18,142 on turnover of Rs.7.8bn, led by strong activity in Capital Goods and Banking; CTHR, DOCK, AEL, RIL and JKH were among top positive contributors.

Colombo stocks closed marginally down, with the ASPI falling 0.23% to 18,100 and the S&P SL20 down 0.22% to 5,347. Seylan Bank received in-principle CSE approval for a Rs15bn Basel III debenture issue, and Tal Lanka Hotels listed 32,228,524 ordinary voting shares after a private placement.

The IMF approved a $350mn drawdown under Sri Lanka's EFF, and the ASPI rose 0.81% to 18,141.79; investor interest lifted construction and property stocks led by Access Engineering, ACL Cables and JAT, with gains in C T Holdings and Colombo Dockyard.

ASPI fell 30 points to 17,997 as turnover hit Rs.7.63 billion, led by large crossings in LOLC Finance, L B Finance and Sampath Bank. Top turnover contributors included LOFC, JKH, Central Finance, Panasian Power and Sampath Bank, while foreign investors were net sellers of Rs.3.4bn.

Colombo Stock Exchange ASPI fell 0.17% to 17,996.73 as profit-taking trimmed gains after a record high. HNB, NDB, C T Holdings and Carson Cumberbatch were among the decliners, while consumer shares saw buying interest and turnover rose to 7.6 billion rupees.