COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – 18 September 2026 – The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) concluded trading on Friday, September 18, 2026, with modest upticks across its primary indices. The market displayed a cautious optimism, navigating through both domestic corporate activities and a complex global economic landscape.
Daily Index Performance Overview
The All Share Price Index (ASPI) recorded a gain of 32.83 points, closing at 21,056.26, a 0.16% increase for the day. Similarly, the S&P Sri Lanka 20 Index (S&P SL20) advanced by 3.93 points, reflecting a 0.07% rise, to end the day at 5,928.89. Despite these daily gains, both indices reflected negative year-to-date (YTD) returns, with ASPI at -6.93% and S&P SL20 at -3.71%, indicating a challenging year thus far for the broader market.
The Total Return Index (TRI) on All Share closed at 33,164.54, up from the previous day’s 33,112.83, while the TRI on S&P Sri Lanka 20 Index stood at 12,591.66, slightly higher than its previous close of 12,583.30.
Turnover and Market Capitalization
The total equity turnover for the day reached Rs. 1,335,676,194.45, contributing to a robust market capitalization of Rs. 7,642,247,442,162.35. Domestic investors largely drove market activity, with purchases amounting to Rs. 1,314,294,432.00 and sales at Rs. 1,308,387,894.50. Foreign participation observed a net outflow for the day, with foreign purchases recorded at Rs. 21,381,762.45 and foreign sales at Rs. 27,288,299.95, resulting in a net foreign flow of -Rs. 5,906,537.50. The total volume of shares traded stood at 39,369,176 across 12,579 trades.
Year-to-date average daily turnover remained at Rs. 3.79 billion, with an average daily share volume of 146.47 million and 28.27 thousand trades.
Market Multiples and Key Contributors
The market’s Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio was reported at 10.91x, with a Price-to-Book Value (P/BV) of 1.26x and a Dividend Yield (DY) of 3.15%. A total of 289 companies are listed on the CSE, with 257 actively traded today.
Among the top contributors to the ASPI, Dialog Axiata PLC (DIAL.N) led with 12.62 points, followed by Melstacorp PLC (MELS.N) at 10.46 points and Hayleys PLC (HAYL.N) at 6.38 points. Conversely, Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC (BREW.N), Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTHR.N), and Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC (CINS.N) were notable negative contributors, pulling the index down by -8.81, -6.07, and -5.88 points respectively.
Top gainers for the day included S M B Finance PLC (SEMB.N) with a 10.00% increase, ON’ALLY Holdings PLC (ONAL.N) rising by 8.43%, and LAUGFS Gas PLC (LGL.X) by 6.19%. Leading losers were LAUGFS Gas PLC (LGL.N) with a -7.69% dip, EML Consultants PLC (EML.N) down by -5.81%, and UB Finance Company PLC (UBF.N) declining by -4.55%.
Sectoral Performance Highlights
Sector-wise, Telecommunication Services showed the highest YTD return at 47%, followed by Commercial & Professional Services (31%), and Real Estate Management & Development (20%). Other sectors like Health Care Equipment & Services and Transportation also posted positive YTD returns of 4% and 3% respectively, indicating pockets of resilience and growth within the market.
Economic Overview and Global Context
Sri Lanka’s economic indicators showed an indicative exchange rate of 330.17 LKR to 1 USD, with Consumer Price Inflation (CCPI) at 7.20%. Quarterly GDP growth indicated a challenging period, with figures reflecting contractions in previous quarters. In the broader APAC region, the CSE All-Share’s daily return of 0.2% was relatively modest compared to significant gains in developed markets like South Korea (KOSPI +2.7%) and Taiwan (Taiwan Weighted +1.8%), but was positive amidst a mixed performance in frontier and emerging markets.
Global news continues to shape market sentiment. Reports of the US likely delaying new China tariffs until after the upcoming Xi-Trump summit, Japan’s August CPI dipping to 1.7% due to subsidies, and strategists predicting a Yen drop against the dollar were all closely watched. The anticipated Trump-Xi summit is seen as a crucial test for AI rivalry, trade truces, and Yuan valuation, all of which could have ripple effects on global trade and investment flows, including for Sri Lanka.
Corporate Announcements
The CSE also saw a flurry of corporate announcements, providing investors with crucial insights into individual company movements. Notable announcements included:
- Right Issues: Companies like AMBEON Capital PLC, BERUWALA RESORTS PLC, and KERNER HAUS GLOBAL SOLUTIONS PLC announced right issues with various proportions.
- Sub Division of Shares: PEGASUS HOTELS OF CEYLON PLC confirmed a sub-division of shares effective September 21, 2026.
- Scrip Dividends: Ceylon Land & Equity PLC and Galle Face Capital Partners PLC were among those announcing scrip dividends with record dates in late September.
- Cash Dividends: Several companies, including MAHAWELI COCONUT PLANTATIONS PLC (Rs. 3.00 per share), LAKE HOUSE PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS PLC (Rs. 4.00 per share), and KELANI TYRES PLC (Rs. 6.50 per share), declared cash dividends with upcoming payment dates.
- Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs): ASIA CAPITAL PLC and DIALOG AXIATA PLC are among the companies scheduled to hold EGMs in the coming weeks.
- Annual General Meetings (AGMs): A robust schedule of AGMs was released, with many companies opting for virtual meetings, including ABANS ELECTRICALS PLC, ACL CABLES PLC, and LOLC HOLDINGS PLC.
- Dealing by Directors: Agarapatana Plantations PLC reported a disposal by a director, while C T Land Development PLC noted share purchases by directors.
The CSE continues to reflect a dynamic market environment, influenced by both domestic fundamentals and evolving international economic narratives. Investors will be keenly watching upcoming corporate results and global economic developments for future market direction.
Source: Colombo Stock Exchange Daily Report – 18 September 2026
