Colombo, Sri Lanka – September 10, 2026 – The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) concluded trading on Thursday with both its benchmark indices registering a slight downturn, reflecting a day of cautious investor sentiment. The All Share Price Index (ASPI) and the S&P Sri Lanka 20 Index (S&P SL20) both experienced minor dips, even as foreign investors maintained a positive net flow for the day.
Index Performance Overview
The All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed at 21,357.74 points, marking a decrease of 108.26 points or 0.50% from its previous close of 21,466.00. Similarly, the more liquid S&P Sri Lanka 20 Index (S&P SL20) also shed 29.94 points (0.50%), ending the day at 6,003.92 points. This indicates a broad-based but modest pullback across the market.
Year-to-date (YTD) figures show the ASPI with a -5.60% return, while the S&P SL20 is down by -2.49%, illustrating the challenging market conditions throughout 2026 for Sri Lankan equities.
Turnover and Market Capitalization
Total equity turnover for the day stood at an approximate Rs. 1.45 billion (Rs. 1,450,937,778.60). The market capitalization for equity closed at approximately Rs. 7.75 trillion (Rs. 7,748,034,244,518.20), representing a daily change of -0.55%. Debt market turnover remained at zero for the day, consistent with recent trends. A total of 289 companies are listed on the CSE, with 270 actively traded during Thursday’s session.
Domestic vs. Foreign Investor Activity
Domestic investors dominated trading, with purchases totaling Rs. 1,418,786,546.50 and sales at Rs. 1,434,918,184.20. Interestingly, foreign investors recorded a net positive inflow for the day, with foreign purchases amounting to Rs. 32,151,232.10 against foreign sales of Rs. 16,019,594.40, resulting in a net foreign inflow of Rs. 16,131,637.70. This positive foreign interest provided some counter-balance to the overall market dip.
Top Market Movers
Thursday’s trading saw a mixed bag of performances among individual securities. The top 10 gainers by percentage change included:
- KERNER HAUS GLOBAL SOLUTIONS PLC: +18.53%
- LAUGFS GAS PLC: +6.40%
- TESS AGRO PLC: +5.56%
- AMANA LIFE PLC: +5.12%
- ACME PRINTING & PACKAGING PLC: +4.88%
Conversely, the top 10 losers were:
- AUTODROME PLC: -8.53%
- C T LAND PLC: -6.09%
- CFI PLC: -5.57%
- HAPUGASTENNE PLANTATIONS PLC: -5.47%
- STANDARD CAPITAL PLC: -4.52%
Key contributors impacting the ASPI included Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC (COMB.N), Sampath Bank PLC (SAMP.N), and John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH.N), among others.
Sectoral Insights
On a Year-to-Date basis, the Telecommunication Services sector has been the strongest performer with a remarkable 54% return. Commercial & Professional Services followed with 35%, and Real Estate Management & Development with 23%. These figures highlight specific areas of growth despite the broader market’s YTD decline.
Corporate Announcements
The CSE also saw several corporate announcements. Notably, Pegasus Hotels of Ceylon PLC announced a sub-division of shares, effective September 11, 2026. Cash dividends were declared by several companies, including Mahaweli Coconut Plantations PLC, Lake House Printers and Publishers PLC, and C M Holdings PLC, with various XD dates and payment schedules upcoming in October 2026. Furthermore, multiple companies held their Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) throughout the day and in the coming weeks, addressing key corporate governance matters.
Global Market Context
In a broader global context, Sri Lanka’s CSE All-Share YTD return of -5.6% places it among the lower-performing frontier and emerging markets in the APAC region. Developed markets like South Korea (66.9% YTD) and Taiwan (62.1% YTD) showed robust growth, while India (-10.1%) and Indonesia (-23.7%) also faced significant YTD challenges.
The day’s trading on the CSE reflected a period of consolidation, with indices showing minor declines amidst specific company and sector-level activity, underpinned by positive foreign investor participation.
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