COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – 24 August 2026 – The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) experienced a subdued trading day on Monday, 24 August 2026, as both key indices, the All Share Price Index (ASPI) and the S&P Sri Lanka 20 (S&P SL20), closed in negative territory. The market also witnessed a notable outflow of foreign investment, painting a cautious picture for local and international investors.
Index Performance Reflects Market Caution
The All Share Price Index (ASPI), a broad gauge of market performance, declined by 71.84 points, or 0.34%, to close at 21,344.77. Similarly, the S&P Sri Lanka 20 Index, which tracks the 20 largest and most liquid stocks, shed 18.69 points, a 0.31% dip, ending the day at 6,009.40. This marks a year-to-date (YTD) return of -5.66% for the ASPI and -2.40% for the S&P SL20, indicating a challenging year for the Sri Lankan equity market thus far.
Previous market data highlights the ASPI’s highest YTD at 23,992.11 and lowest at 20,264.01, while the S&P SL20 recorded a YTD high of 6,750.50 and a low of 5,651.41. The Total Return Indices (TRI) for both ASPI and S&P SL20 also registered slight declines compared to the previous day.
Robust Turnover, but Foreigners Remain Net Sellers
Despite the index declines, the market generated a substantial total equity turnover of Rs. 16,851,826,960.75 (approximately Rs. 16.85 billion). The total market capitalization stood at an impressive Rs. 7,727,444,584,296.65 (approximately Rs. 7.73 trillion). Trading activity was healthy, with a total volume of 67,080,271 shares traded across 13,364 transactions.
A closer look at investor composition reveals that domestic investors were dominant, contributing Rs. 16,799,438,685.95 in purchases and Rs. 15,889,538,541.40 in sales. However, foreign investors registered a net outflow of Rs. 909,900,144.55, with foreign sales significantly outweighing foreign purchases (Rs. 962,288,419.35 in sales vs. Rs. 52,388,274.80 in purchases).
Key Market Multiples and Participation
As of August 24, 2026, the market’s Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio was 11.24x, the Price-to-Book Value (P/BV) ratio stood at 1.31x, and the Dividend Yield (DY) was 3.01%. Out of 289 listed companies on the CSE, 257 saw active trading during the day.
Market Movers: C T Holdings and Cargills Lead Turnover
Leading the contributions to the ASPI’s positive movement were stocks such as CTHR.N, HAYC.N, JKH.N, SIRA.N, and GRAN.N. Conversely, COMB.N, MELS.N, BREW.N, CTC.N, and RICH.N were among the top negative contributors.
Top gainers for the day included:
- C T HOLDINGS (CTHR.N): Up 4.91%
- EXTERMINATORS (EXT-N): Up 4.48%
- E – CHANNELLING (ECL.N): Up 3.95%
Meanwhile, the top losers were:
- EASTERN MERCHANT (EMER.N): Down 5.66%
- VIDULLANKA (VLL-X): Down 5.08%
- MULLERS (MULL.N): Down 4.55%
In terms of turnover, C T HOLDINGS and CARGILLS (CEYLON) PLC were the primary drivers, contributing significantly to the day’s trading value. Top companies by market capitalization included DIALOG, JKH, CEYLON TOBACCO, COMMERCIAL BANK, DISTILLERIES, LOLC HOLDINGS, and MELSTACORP.
Sectoral Highlights and Global Market Context
The GICS Industry Group statistics for the day showed varied performance. Looking at year-to-date returns, the Telecommunication Services sector led with a remarkable 50% return, followed by Commercial & Professional Services (37%), Real Estate Management & Development (21%), Health Care Equipment & Services (8%), and Transportation (7%).
Within the broader APAC region, Sri Lanka’s CSE All-Share recorded a YTD return of -5.7%, placing it among the lower-performing frontier markets. In comparison, Bangladesh (17.6%) and Pakistan (2.9%) in the frontier category showed positive YTD returns, while emerging markets like South Korea (58.9%) and Taiwan (54.6%) demonstrated significant growth.
Corporate Announcements Continue
Corporate activity remained vibrant with several announcements, including new Right Issues from companies like AMBEON CAPITAL PLC and ASIA ASSET FINANCE PLC, and a Sub Division of Shares by PEGASUS HOTELS OF CEYLON PLC. Numerous cash dividends were also announced, with CEYLON TOBACCO COMPANY PLC declaring a dividend of Rs. 41.00 per share and DIALOG AXIATA PLC announcing Rs. 0.70 per share.
The Colombo Stock Exchange continues to navigate a dynamic economic landscape, with investors closely monitoring global and local developments.
Source: Read original document
