News & market updates

Sri Lanka's ASPI fell 2.95% (500.39 pts) to 16,456.10 on Feb 5 as profit-taking triggered broad selling. Top losers included HNB, Commercial Bank, NDB, Sampath, Teejay Lanka and Singer, while Ceylinco Holdings and Lion Brewery gained; turnover was Rs 6.3bn with a net foreign outflow of Rs 343m.

Colombo market turned bearish as the ASPI slipped 2 points to 17,115 on turnover of Rs.7.34bn and a net foreign outflow of Rs.2.2bn led by JKH; capital goods led turnover while NDB, COOP, AEL and Sierra Cables rose and Browns, Royal Ceramics, Melstacorp, LOLC and Hayleys lagged.

Colombo market slipped as the S&P SL20 fell 0.6% amid high turnover of Rs.8.4 billion, led by John Keells, Access Engineering, Browns Investments, Commercial Bank and Amana Bank; ASPI closed flat and foreign investors were net sellers of Rs.924 million.

Colombo bourse ended the week higher (ASPI +2.1% for the week; ASPI +0.26 yesterday, S&P SL20 +0.28) with turnover yesterday at Rs.5.4bn and a net foreign outflow of Rs.221.5m. Banking and capital-goods/construction stocks led turnover, with top contributors including Dialog, DFCC, Dipped Products, Hemas and Commercial Bank.

Colombo market sustained gains with the ASPI up 0.4% and S&P SL20 up 0.2% on Rs.5 billion turnover and a net foreign inflow of Rs.194.5 million. Top contributors included Commercial Bank, Tokyo Cement, Lanka IOC, ACL Cables and Access Engineering, with banking leading turnover (26%).

Colombo Stock Market closed mixed: ASPI +40 pts (+0.27%) while S&P SL20 -14 pts (-0.3%), with turnover Rs.5.85bn on 357m shares and a net foreign outflow of Rs.1.5m. Top contributors included Ceylon Cold Stores, PGP Glass, John Keells, Lanka IOC, Dipped Products and Lanka Milk Foods, with Food, Beverage & Tobacco leading turnover.

Colombo market closed with the ASPI up 0.27% at 14,654.26 while the S&P SL20 fell 0.32% to 4,390.12 as profit-taking in banking stocks weighed on the SL20. Top gainers included Ceylon Cold Stores, PGP Glass, John Keells, Dipped Products and Lanka IOC; net foreign outflow was Rs 1.4 million.

HNB PLC appointed Damith Pallewatte as Managing Director/CEO effective 22 November 2024. He has been Acting CEO since April; under his leadership HNB recorded Rs. 38.7 billion PBT for 9 months of FY24 and outlined priorities including MSME revival, digital banking, trade/export facilitation and a potential Bangladesh acquisition.

Colombo stock market ended the week with marginal losses — the ASPI fell 0.5% for the week (up 0.6% on Friday) with Friday turnover of Rs. 2bn. Ceylon Tobacco announced an interim dividend of Rs. 40.90 per share; notable moves included gains in Royal Ceramics, Dipped Products and Lanka Milk Foods and a decline in John Keells.

Colombo market fell for a third day as ASPI lost 77 points to 12,719 on profit taking, with turnover up at Rs.3.2bn and net foreign inflow of Rs.200m (Rs.199.8m into JKH). Banking and capital goods led activity while several counters (COMB, MELS, DFCC, RICH, NDB) weighed on the index.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed up: ASPI +0.47% to 12,357 and S&P SL20 +0.95% to 3,663, with turnover Rs 2.3bn. Top turnover stocks included John Keells (JKH 203.00), Sampath (84.00), Commercial Bank (110.25), Hayleys (103.00) and Hemas (81.00); net foreign inflow was Rs 118m.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed mixed: ASPI fell 0.08% to 12,300 while S&P SL20 rose 0.11% to 3,628, with turnover Rs1.9bn and a net foreign inflow of Rs37m. Top contributors included John Keells, Lion Brewery, Sampath Bank, HNB and Central Finance.

ASPI gained 1% to close at 12,053 as investors returned to buying, led by banking and blue-chip stocks; turnover was Rs. 2.8bn. Sampath Bank, John Keells and Commercial Bank were among top contributors to the session's gains.

Colombo market cooled after 11 straight gains as the ASPI fell about 59 points (0.5%) on turnover of Rs.2.3bn, with banks contributing 59% of turnover. Sampath, Commercial and Hatton National rose, while Vallibel One and Nations Trust fell; JKH, LOLC, NDB, Hayleys and DFCC weighed on the index.

Colombo Stock Exchange fell as the All Share Index dropped 1.38% to 10,719 and the S&P SL20 fell 1.69% to 3,006 on turnover of 615 million, with election-month political uncertainty weighing on sentiment.

Colombo Stock Exchange fell, with the All Share Index down 0.36% to 10,869 and the S&P SL20 down 0.38% to 3,058. Turnover was 759 million; top turnover/price moves included Renuka Agri Foods and Sampath Bank (up), HNB, John Keells and Commercial Bank (down), with a net foreign inflow of 0.37 million.

Colombo market slipped for a seventh straight session as ASPI fell below 11,000 to close at 10,946 (-1.33%) and S&P SL20 lost 1.68%, with turnover Rs. 732.49mn. Commercial Bank, Sampath Bank, Melstacorp, Ceylon Tobacco, Browns Investments and John Keells were among the top negative contributors.

All Share Index fell 1.33% to 10,945, dropping below 11,000, while the S&P SL20 declined 1.68% to 3,096 on turnover of 732 million. Top turnover stocks included Ceylon Tobacco, Melstacorp, Browns Investments, Commercial Bank and John Keells, with a net foreign inflow of 49.9 million.

The Colombo bourse's five-day winning streak ended with a 0.2% drop on Friday, but the week closed with the S&P SL20 up 2.4% and the ASPI up 1.8% and average daily turnover of Rs. 740m. Top negative contributors were C T Holdings, John Keells, DFCC, Central Finance and Lanka IOC, while Access Engineering, Renuka and Melstacorp gained.

Colombo market closed up Friday with the ASPI +0.44% to 11,303 on turnover of Rs. 403.3m, though the week ended with losses (ASPI -1.2%, S&P SL20 -2.0%). Top contributors included Sampath, Richard Pieris, Aitken Spence, LOLC, Access Engineering and John Keells, while Commercial Bank edged down slightly.