News & market updates

Colombo market closed a healthy week: ASPI +2.3%, S&P SL20 +3.1%, average daily turnover Rs.9.88bn and net foreign inflow Rs.373.9m. Key contributors included Central Finance, Hayleys, John Keells, Sampath and Singer; John Keells rose to Rs.25.50 while HNB fell to Rs.358.50 and Seylan (non-voting) rose to Rs.66.30.

Browns Investments sold 39.3 million Hatton National Bank non-voting (X) shares for Rs.10.78 bn, pushing Colombo Stock Exchange turnover to about Rs.17 bn. Profit-taking left the ASPI down 61 points at 18,885, with the banking sector accounting for 76% of turnover.

BNI Sri Lanka's SLNC 2025 national conference on 18 July lists Hatton National Bank as Corporate Banking Partner and expects 435 participants, including 120 overseas attendees.

Colombo ASPI fell 0.32% to 18,884 on profit-taking while turnover rose to 17 billion rupees, boosted by a crossing in Hatton National Bank non-voting shares. HNB shares declined (non-voting to 286.50), and John Keells, Hayleys, Central Finance, Melstacorp and Royal Ceramics also traded lower.

ASPI fell 61.31 points to 18,884.96 while turnover surged to Rs.17.01 billion led by Hatton National Bank crossings, with HNB non‑voting shares contributing over Rs.11 billion and HNB voting shares about Rs.1.2 billion.

ASPI gained about 108 points to 18,946 on Rs. 9.1 billion turnover, led by the Capital Goods sector; John Keells, Commercial Bank, Access Engineering, Hayleys and LOLC were top contributors and banking names including HNB and Sampath also recorded gains.

ASPI hit a record closing of 18,838.39, up 297.13 points (1.60%) on turnover of Rs. 9.49 billion. Banking-led activity (31% of turnover) drove the rise, with Sampath, Seylan (non-voting), Pan Asia, John Keells, Melstacorp and Commercial Bank among the top contributors.

Sri Lanka FinTech Summit 2025 (Sept 24–25) aims to drive digital financial inclusion with targets of 200+ FinTech startups by 2028, 95% financial inclusion and 3% GDP from FinTech by 2030; Hatton National Bank is a named industry partner.

Sri Lanka's ASPI rose to 18,838, up 1.60% (297.13 pts), led by gains in John Keells, Sampath Bank, HNB, Melstacorp and Commercial Bank despite a US 30% tariff announcement. Turnover rose to 9.49 billion rupees and exporters were mixed, with Teejay down and Haycarb higher.

Sri Lanka's Department of Export Agriculture and Australia's Market Development Facility signed an MoU to develop a roadmap to boost the island's specialty coffee sector. The roadmap will assess the market, improve processing and training to expand high-quality production and export opportunities; Hatton National Bank was the festival's official banking partner.

Hatton National Bank (HNB) veteran Rienzie T. Wijetilleke is remembered for introducing rural development and small-loan initiatives, notably the award-winning 'HNB Gami Pubuduwa' program that expanded banking services to farmers and entrepreneurs.

Colombo market hit a record ASPI of 18,541 (up 380 pts, 2.09%) as turnover reached Rs.10.22bn, led by banking stocks and John Keells. Foreign investors were net sellers (net outflow Rs.1.2bn) and the banking sector accounted for 27% of turnover.

Colombo ASPI rose 2.09% to a record 18,541.26 after US tariffs on Sri Lanka were cut to 30% (down 14%), boosting investor confidence and lifting several banks and exporters; Sampath, HNB, John Keells, Commercial Bank, DFCC, Teejay and Hayleys gained while Haycarb fell.

The Department of Export Agriculture and Australia’s MDF announced an MoU at the Sri Lanka Coffee Festival (8–9 July 2025, Kandy) to develop a roadmap to grow the country’s specialty coffee sector and boost exports. The festival marked 200 years of coffee and named Hatton National Bank as the official banking partner.

Colombo market rebounded as the ASPI gained 129 points (0.7%) on fresh buying, with turnover of Rs.5.98bn. Banking and construction led gains — HNB, Central Finance, R I L Property and Melstacorp were among top contributors while foreign investors were net sellers of Rs.84.4m.

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.

Colombo All Share Price Index rose 0.72% to 18,161.49 as markets recovered while awaiting US tariff letters; gains were led by John Keells, HNB, Central Finance and Melstacorp. Turnover fell to 5.9 billion rupees.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon (COMB.N0000) launched Sri Lanka's first AI-powered SME credit underwriting solution to speed and personalise SME loan approvals. The machine-learning platform automates risk assessment and the bank plans to extend AI underwriting to personal, housing and card lending.

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.

Home Lands Group bought nearly 1 acre in Thummulla for a record Rs.29 million per perch (over Rs.4.5bn) and will build a 40-storey twin-tower residential BOI project; the development is funded by Hatton National Bank.

HNB Assurance PLC appointed Lasitha Wimalaratne as Executive Director and HNB General Insurance Ltd appointed Sithumina Jayasundara as Executive Director; both currently serve as CEOs of their respective companies.

Colombo Stock Exchange ASPI fell 0.58% to 18,042.20 on Monday as US tariff uncertainty damped investor interest, with Melstacorp, HNB, Commercial Bank, Aitken Spence and NDB posting declines and turnover falling to Rs2.4bn. Colombo Dockyard announced a rights issue of 323m shares at Rs40.

Rienzie T. Wijetilleke, a veteran banker, has died aged 85; he served 24 years at Hatton National Bank (including as Managing Director and Non-Executive Chairman) and also held leadership/director roles at Sunshine Holdings, Nawaloka Hospitals and DFCC Bank.

Private credit expanded by Rs133bn in May 2025 (up from Rs71bn in April), taking five‑month growth to Rs478.6bn, while commercial bank credit to government fell Rs53bn. The central bank cut its policy rate last month and central bank credit to government rose Rs123bn.

Colombo's ASPI rose 0.26% (47.42 pts) to 18,148.34 as US tariff threats loomed, with buying lifting banks and conglomerates; John Keells, Commercial Bank, HNB, Melstacorp and Sunshine closed higher.

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.

BPPL Holdings PLC has rotated its Independent Directors: Manjula De Silva, Sharmini Ratwatte and Savantha De Saram resigned effective 1 July 2025 after nine years, and Dinesh Dharmadasa, Natasha Boralessa and Mohamed Adamaly were appointed as Independent Non-Executive Directors. The new appointees bring experience in finance, sustainability, governance and law.

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.