News & market updates

Colombo Stock Exchange closed higher: ASPI +0.74% to 12,610 and S&P SL20 +0.84% to 3,790, with turnover Rs4.4bn; Hatton National Bank accounted for Rs926m of turnover and there was a net foreign outflow of Rs12.21m.

Colombo Stock Exchange ended the week in green: ASPI rose 0.35% to 12,517 and turnover was Rs4.7bn, with Sampath Bank and Hatton National Bank contributing over Rs1bn and Rs1.3bn respectively. Net foreign outflow was Rs186m and Lion Brewery announced a Rs17.3/share dividend.

ASPI fell 9 points to 12,300 with turnover of Rs.19.3 billion; John Keells Holdings (JKH.N0000) led turnover (Rs.676m), had rights converted to ordinary shares and rose to Rs.199.

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.

Colombo market was mixed as the ASPI rose 0.09% to 12,258 while the S&P SL20 fell 0.20%; turnover was about Rs.1.85–1.9 billion and foreigners were net buyers of Rs.139.7 million, led by net foreign buying in John Keells (Rs.240.9m) and net selling in Dialog.

Melstacorp PLC appointed Lakshman Silva and Ashoka Goonesekere as Independent Non-Executive Directors. Both appointees bring extensive banking and finance experience, having held senior roles at DFCC Bank, HNB, Pan Asia and other industry bodies.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed up as the All Share Index rose 1.07% to 12,294, led by banks with total turnover of Rs2.3bn and Rs563mn in bank trades. Top contributors included Commercial Bank, Sampath Bank, Lanka IOC and Browns Investments, and net foreign inflow was Rs107mn.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed down, the All Share Index fell 0.16% to 12,152 with turnover Rs 2.1bn and a net foreign outflow of Rs 339m; top foreign buying included Commercial Bank, Sampath Bank, ACL Cables, Melstacorp and Elpitiya Plantations, and Agarapatana Plantations suspended trading after announcing a Rs1 dividend.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed higher: ASPI rose 0.92% to 12,164 and S&P SL20 gained 1.34% to 3,590, led by banking stocks which accounted for Rs 1.4bn of turnover; top contributors included C T Holdings, Sampath Bank, John Keells and Commercial Bank.

Sri Lanka stocks closed up 1% with the Colombo All Share Index rising 123.5 points to 12,053, led by gains in John Keells, Sampath, Hatton National Bank and NDB. Turnover was 2.83 billion rupees; Melstacorp rose while Lion Brewery fell.

Colombo Stock Exchange rose with the All Share Index up 0.69% to 11,855 and the S&P SL20 up 1.45% to 3,459 on turnover of 2.6 billion; banking stocks led gains while there was a net foreign outflow of Rs 123 million.

Colombo ASPI jumped 237.31 points (2.14%) — the largest daily gain in 2024 — on turnover of Rs.2 billion as banks and capital goods led gains; CCS rose 10.2% and Commercial Bank, HNB, Sampath, John Keells, Melstacorp, LOLC and Access Engineering were among top contributors.

Sri Lanka stocks surged 2.1% Tuesday, with the All Share Index up 237.31 points to 11,334.12, led by retail buying in banks. Commercial Bank, Melstacorp, LOLC, Hatton National Bank and Ceylon Cold Stores were among the top contributors.

ASPI rose 130 points (1.19%) to 11,097 on a late rally after the presidential election, led by banking and blue‑chip gains (Commercial Bank, Hatton National Bank, Sampath Bank); turnover was Rs.994.4m and foreigners were net sellers by Rs.5.2m.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed higher: All Share Index rose 1.19% to 11,096 and S&P SL20 rose 1.88% to 3,160. Larger banks (HNB, COMB, SAMP, DFCC, NDB) led gains while some smaller banks (NTB) fell and HDFC was flat; turnover was 994 million and net foreign outflow 5.2 million.

Colombo stocks rose ahead of the Presidential election as the ASPI gained 0.75% yesterday (up 2.7% WoW) and now shows a 2.93% YTD return, while the S&P SL20 rose 1.3% (4.1% WoW, 1.10% YTD). Banking stocks led the rally—Commercial Bank, Hatton National, NDB and Sampath were key movers—and turnover was driven by HNB, COMB and SAMP; foreigners were net sellers of Rs.12.1m.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed higher with banks leading gains after Sri Lanka reached a deal to restructure defaulted sovereign bonds allowing local banks to swap 70% of ISBs into dollar bonds with a 10% haircut and convert the remaining 30% into rupee securities.

Colombo market closed higher as the S&P SL20 rose 0.8% and the ASPI gained 0.5% with turnover of Rs. 1.22bn, led by the banking sector which contributed 45% of turnover and saw its sector index up 1.17%. Top positive contributors included Commercial Bank, Melstacorp, NDB, Browns Investments and John Keells; HNB, COMB, NTB and PABC recorded gains while Sampath slipped.

ASPI fell 0.3% to close at 10,801 as turnover was Rs.1.5 billion; indices reversed gains after a short-lived rebound. Melstacorp, Hemas, DFCC, LOLC and John Keells were among the top negative contributors while Hatton National Bank gained and Commercial Bank was flat.

Colombo market rebounded, ending a 12-day losing run as the ASPI rose 1.5% (164 points) with turnover of Rs. 1.46bn; banking counters and index heavyweights such as Commercial Bank, Sampath Bank, Melstacorp, CTC and Hayleys were top contributors.

Colombo Stock Exchange slid as the All Share Index fell 0.43% to 10,673 and the S&P SL20 fell 0.55% to 2,990 on turnover of 1.1 billion; net foreign inflow was 39 million and several stocks recorded crosses and foreign flows.

Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka (DCSL) said excise duty hikes to Rs6,840 per absolute proof litre and other taxes have raised legal alcohol prices ~58%, reduced its sales and are pushing consumers toward illicit kasippu. The company warned the wider taxation gap is expanding the illicit market, harming legal producers.

Colombo bourse slipped with the S&P SL20 down 0.83% and ASPI down 0.35% on turnover of Rs.1.03bn as political uncertainty and net foreign selling weighed on sentiment. Banking and blue-chip counters (notably Sampath, Commercial Bank, John Keells and Melstacorp) were main drags while Teejay Lanka and Hayleys saw notable activity.

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.

Colombo market slid as the S&P SL20 fell 1.26% and the ASPI dropped 0.95% on turnover of Rs.513.6m, led by losses in banks and blue chips including John Keells, Melstacorp, Central Finance, Commercial Bank and Ceylon Cold Stores.

ASPI fell 162.1 points (-1.43%) to 11,200 and the S&P SL20 dropped 2.0%, led by declines in banks and frontline counters including HNB, COMB, LOLC, JKH and SAMP; turnover was Rs. 554.3m and foreigners were net buyers of about Rs. 49m.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed lower with the All Share Index down 1.43% to 11,199 and the S&P SL20 down 2.00% to 3,189. Turnover was 554 million with a net foreign inflow of 48.9 million; top turnover stocks included Hayleys, Melstacorp, Dialog and Sampath.

Colombo Stock Exchange closed down: All Share Index fell 0.21% to 11,458 and S&P SL20 fell 0.43% to 3,288; turnover was 797 million with a net foreign inflow of 15.5 million. Top foreign buying included Melstacorp and John Keells, while foreign selling hit Commercial Bank, Ceylon Cold Stores, Associated Motor Finance and Talawakelle; top turnover contributors were Commercial Bank, Dialog, Kelani Tyres, HNB and John Keells.