News & market updates

Colombo Stock Exchange was up midday, ASPI +0.54% (119.98 pts) to 22,433. Market turnover was Rs.597.2m with capital goods leading at Rs.181.7m; Colombo Fort Investments and Colombo Investment Trust announced interim scrip dividends.

LOLC Life Assurance opened new branches in Mathugama and Beruwala and relocated its Jaffna branch, expanding its physical network to improve customer accessibility and service convenience.

Colombo stock market edged down 0.09% to close at 22,899.53 (ASPI down 20.79 pts). Turnover was Rs.2.62bn with foreign investors net selling Rs.116m; top negative contributors included Dialog, Hemas, HNB, LOLC and Colombo Dockyard.

Colombo Stock Exchange fell, with the ASPI down 0.41% (95 points) to 22,920 and the S&P SL20 down 0.40% to 6,269. Banking stocks saw profit taking while top movers included Nawaloka Hospitals (+8.44%), LOLC (+0.83%) and Seylan Bank (+1.65%), and Ceylon Tobacco declared a first interim dividend of Rs.32.40.

LOLC Finance PLC opened a new Angunakolapalassa branch on 5 March and relocated its Baddegama and Divulapitiya branches on 12 March. The moves aim to improve customer access and provide expanded financial services to individuals, entrepreneurs and SMEs in those regions.

Colombo Stock Exchange rose with the ASPI up 0.47% and banks leading turnover at Rs.467 million. Nations Trust Bank completed the transfer of HSBC Sri Lanka's retail banking (effective May 1), Beruwala Resorts will close May 1–Aug 30 for refurbishment, and Sampath Bank appointed an independent director.

The EPF's listed equity portfolio rose 27% to Rs. 188.85 billion at end-2025. The fund cut holdings from 65 to 59, fully exited six counters (Cargills Bank, Ceylon Hotels, Colombo Dockyard, Jetwing Symphony, LAUGFS Gas, Sierra Cables) and added Hemas (40m shares); gains were led by banks and diversified stocks.

Colombo Stock Exchange rose with the ASPI up 0.85% to 22,451.60 as global markets rallied. Top contributors included Carson Cumberbatch, Royal Ceramics, John Keells and Hemas while LOLC, DFCC and Singer were negatives; Hatton National Bank announced listings of 4,249,706 voting and 1,251,268 non-voting shares.

Purchases of Nissan Magnite and Almera through LOLC Finance Leasing qualify for up to LKR 125,000 of free fuel during 1–30 April 2026 (other purchase methods receive LKR 75,000). The offer is provided via a Fuel Touch Card in partnership with Dialog Axiata and applies to limited ex-stock units.

Colombo Stock Exchange ASPI rose 4.21% to 21,917.60 as a US two-week ceasefire announcement drew investors back, with turnover at Rs.6.61 billion and banks driving activity. Top contributors included John Keells, Commercial Bank, Hatton National Bank, Dialog Axiata and Colombo Dockyard.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed down 0.45% to 21,032.46, led by National Development Bank plunging 15.13% to Rs.110.75. Ceylinco Holdings fell 2.90%, while Hatton National Bank, LOLC and ACL Cables were among the day’s top gainers.

National Development Bank's trading halt was lifted and its shares fell to Rs.115.00 from Rs.130.50 after investors reacted to a reported Rs.13.4 billion fraud. The ASPI was down 0.12% at 21,100.65 and Vidullanka authorised acquiring 100% of the 4.5MW Gurugoda mini-hydro plant.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed down 1.33% as Brent crude stayed above $115/bbl; ASPI fell 283.49 pts to 21,092.24 and S&P SL20 dropped 91.03 pts to 5,908.96. Turnover was Rs 4.76bn with diversified financials contributing Rs 1.612bn; JKH and Sampath saw crossings.

LOLC Holdings PLC was crowned 'People’s Financial Services Brand' at the SLIM Kantar People’s Choice Awards 2026 for the tenth consecutive year. The award, based on independent Kantar consumer research, underscores LOLC’s sustained brand trust, digital initiatives and group presence.

LOLC Life Assurance, a fully owned subsidiary of LOLC Group, hosted an MDRT Summit and Recognition Night 2026 celebrating 89 MDRT qualifiers in 2025, including six Court of the Table and two Top of the Table achievers.

LOLC Securities' Investor Forum said a sovereign credit rating upgrade could attract foreign inflows as CSE market capitalisation rose to about Rs.7.6 trillion (from Rs.2.9 trillion in 2022). The forum highlighted stabilised macro fundamentals, recovering exports and tourism, and sectoral opportunities in finance, construction and export-oriented industries.

The Association of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes held its 1st Healthcare Leadership Summit on 9 March 2026 to develop a trackable set of implementable priorities for Sri Lanka's private healthcare sector. Attendees included hospital leaders, regulators, insurers and international experts.

The CSE fell, with the ASPI down 4.34% (1,032.15 points) for the week as index-heavy banking and diversified holdings stocks dragged the market. Foreign investors were net sellers (week net outflow Rs.791.2m); large declines came from JKH, HNB and SAMP while ACL, CINS and RAL saw heavy off‑board turnover.

LOLC Holdings MD/CEO Kapila Jayawardena was named CEO of the Year – Conglomerates at the Global CEO Forum 2025. The award recognises his role in steering LOLC’s expansion and institutional transformation across its diversified group.

Dialog Axiata (DIAL.N0000) and LOLC Holdings (LOLC.N0000) were principal sponsors of the Brumbies Enclosure 15th anniversary launch on 12 February 2026 at The Steuart by Citrus.

Daraz Sri Lanka is running a 'Fabulous Feb – 2 Good 2 Miss!' 2.2 campaign from Feb 1 (8:00 PM) to Feb 6 with deals up to 85% off, Rs.50 million in vouchers, free delivery, Golden Rush Hour discounts and bank partner payment offers. The campaign also promotes ongoing Everyday Low Price pricing for essentials.

Brown & Company PLC's Browns EV unveiled the BAW M8, marked 1,500 EV deliveries and announced an exclusive charging partnership with Qingdao TELD to deploy chargers nationwide. The M8 is priced at Rs.21 million and is claimed to have a range exceeding 1,050 km.

LOLC Holdings opened its 88th microfinance branch in Bara Kahu, Islamabad and launched its first Islamic microfinance branch under the 'LOLC Islamic' banner, marking the group's entry into Shariah-compliant microfinance in Pakistan.

LOLC Finance (LOFC.N0000) launched the LOLC Super Savings Account, a tiered-interest savings product with a minimum opening deposit of Rs. 15,000 that offers progressively higher returns as balances grow. The product targets customers with informal or seasonal incomes and aims to combine flexibility with higher yields for short-term reinvestment and savings goals.

The Colombo market hit an intraday record of 24,052.06 but closed flat, with the ASPI down 0.01% at 23,953.09 and the S&P SL20 up 0.20% at 6,663.12. Turnover was over Rs.5.4bn; York jumped 24.81% while SAMP, RICH, DFCC, CTHR and CARG were top negative contributors.

Colombo bourse hit a new year high as the ASPI rose 142.74 pts (0.60%) to 23,956.51, about 43.49 pts shy of 24,000. Top contributors were LOLC, DOCK, COMB, BIL and MELS, with turnover ~Rs 10.5bn and net foreign selling of Rs 82.1m.

ASPI touched 24,000 intraday for the first time, closing at 23,956.51, up 142.74 points. Turnover rose to Rs.10.50 billion led by heavy trading in Colombo Dockyard (Rs.2.12bn) and LOLC Holdings (Rs.1.24bn), with gains led by LOLC, Colombo Dockyard, Commercial Bank, Browns Investments and Melstacorp.

LOLC Finance (LOFC) launched Exclusive Short-Term Fixed Deposits with 4- and 7-month maturities at competitive rates and reported FY2024/25 PAT of Rs.25.1bn and H1 FY2025/26 PAT of Rs.14bn (72% YoY). The company holds a gross lending portfolio of Rs.360.2bn, customer deposits of Rs.238.6bn and an A+ (Stable) rating.

Colombo market ended flat as the ASPI fell 0.02% to 23,623.74 with turnover near Rs.5.17 billion and foreign investors net sold about Rs.91 million. Top negative contributors were SFCL, JKH, BUKI, CTHR and DFCC, while DOCK, ACL and RHL led turnover and HAYL and DOCK supported index performance.

LOLC General Insurance PLC is providing brand-new EV replacements for policyholders whose Browns EVs were declared total losses after Cyclone Ditwah. The insurer, backed by the LOLC Group and in collaboration with Browns EV, says it has settled many claims and is expediting remaining general insurance claims.