COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – September 23, 2026 – The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) concluded trading on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, with a positive albeit modest performance across its key indices. The market registered slight gains, driven by selective investor activity and a backdrop of various corporate announcements, as detailed in the latest daily report from the CSE.
Index Performance Overview
The bellwether All Share Price Index (ASPI) advanced by 31.14 points, marking a 0.15% increase to close at 21,085.15. Concurrently, the S&P Sri Lanka 20 Index (S&P SL20), which tracks the top 20 liquid and large-cap companies, also saw positive momentum, gaining 18.64 points, or 0.31%, to settle at 5,947.50 points. This daily uptick positions the ASPI with a Year-To-Date (YTD) return of -6.80% and the S&P SL20 with a YTD return of -3.41%.
Market Turnover and Capitalization
Total turnover for the day reached a robust Rs. 1,323,772,481.70, predominantly driven by equity trading. Market capitalization stood at Rs. 7,647,579,644,725.10, indicating the overall valuation of listed companies on the Sri Lankan stock market. Domestic investors played a significant role, with domestic purchases totaling Rs. 1,313,513,921.10 and domestic sales at Rs. 1,310,898,432.75. Foreign participation, while smaller, showed net sales of Rs. 2,615,488.35, with foreign purchases at Rs. 10,258,560.60 and sales at Rs. 12,874,048.95.
The total volume of turnover amounted to 83,444,135 shares across 12,587 trades. Average daily turnover YTD stands at Rs. 3.75 billion, with an average daily share volume of 145.06 million and 28.02 thousand trades.
Key Trading Statistics
The market’s valuation multiples and dividend yield as of September 23, 2026, were as follows:
- Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio: 10.92x
- Price-to-Book Value (P/BV) Ratio: 1.26x
- Dividend Yield (DY): 3.15%
Out of 289 listed companies, 265 were actively traded. The foreign trading activity recorded a net outflow of Rs. 2,615,488.35 for the day.
Market Contributors, Top Gainers, and Losers
Several companies positively influenced the ASPI, with COMB.N (Commercial Bank) contributing 15.12 points and DIAL.N (Dialog Axiata) adding 12.96 points. Conversely, CARS.N (Carsons) and BREW.N (Lion Brewery) were among the top negative contributors, deducting 29.49 and 8.81 points respectively.
The top 10 gainers by percentage change included:
- S M B FINANCE (SEMB.N): +10.00%
- MERC. SHIPPING (MSL.N): +7.66%
- AGSTAR PLC (AGST.X): +7.48%
- LAXAPANA (LITE.N): +6.94%
- DIPPED PRODUCTS (DIPD.N): +5.00%
Among the top 10 losers were:
- PALM GARDEN HOTL (PALM.N): -7.98%
- RENUKA HOLDINGS (RHL.X): -6.15%
- LANKEM DEV. (LDEV.N): -6.08%
- ABANS FINANCIAL (AFSL.N): -5.86%
- CARSONS (CARS.N): -5.21%
Sectoral Performance Highlights
On a YTD basis, the Telecommunication Services sector emerged as the top performer with a 50% return, followed by Commercial & Professional Services (26%) and Real Estate Management & Development (20%). Other notable sectors included Health Care Equipment & Services (4%) and Transportation (3%).
Corporate Announcements
The day saw a flurry of corporate activities and announcements, including:
- Several companies announced upcoming Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs), with many continuing to opt for virtual formats.
- Cash Dividends were announced by companies such as Harischandra Mills PLC (Rs. 73.00), Renuka City Hotel PLC (Rs. 4.00), and Lanka Aluminium Industries PLC (Rs. 1.25), with ex-dividend dates primarily on September 23 or 24, 2026.
- Right Issues are underway for companies like Kerner Haus Global Solutions PLC and Nations Trust Bank PLC, with various key dates for EGM, provisional allotment, and trading of rights to be notified or already set for October.
- Significant corporate disclosures included Union Bank of Colombo PLC announcing changes in its Board Subcommittees and Vidullanka PLC emerging as the lowest-cost bidder for a LKR 5.0 billion 132 kV Transmission Line Project. Resus Energy PLC also reported the commissioning of its Ampara 2MW Solar Power Plant.
Global Market and Economic Overview
The global market overview presented a mixed picture for the Asia-Pacific region. While developed markets like Japan (Nikkei 225, +1.4% daily return) and emerging markets like South Korea (KOSPI, +0.9% daily return) showed strong daily gains, Sri Lanka’s CSE All-Share recorded a modest 0.1% daily return. On a YTD basis, Sri Lanka’s -6.8% trailed behind many regional counterparts, including Bangladesh (DSE Broad, +13.9% YTD) and Singapore (FTSE Singapore, +21.8% YTD).
Locally, key economic indicators showed an indicative exchange rate of LKR 329.89 against the USD (buy: 324.64, sell: 333.70). Consumer Price Inflation (CCPI) was reported at 7.20%, with NCPI at 5.10%. The Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) remained at 8.75%, while Treasury Bill rates were around 10.21%. Global commodity prices included Brent Crude Oil at USD 99.25 and Gold Price at USD 1,431,022.00.
Conclusion
The Colombo Stock Exchange experienced a marginally positive day on September 23, 2026, with the main indices inching up. The market continues to navigate a complex environment, characterized by domestic corporate restructuring and dividend payouts, alongside a fluctuating global economic landscape. Investors will be closely watching upcoming corporate results and macro-economic developments for clearer direction.
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