COLOMBO – September 28, 2026 – The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) experienced a notable downturn on Monday, September 28, 2026, with both benchmark indices closing in negative territory. The All Share Price Index (ASPI) concluded the trading day below the critical 21,000-point level, signaling a cautious market sentiment among investors.
Index Performance Details
The ASPI closed at 20,943.79 points, registering a decline of 93.56 points, or 0.44%, from its previous close. This movement reflects a challenging year-to-date (YTD) performance for the broader market, with the ASPI’s YTD return currently standing at -7.43%.
The S&P Sri Lanka 20 Index, which tracks the performance of the 20 most liquid and largest companies, also followed the downward trend. It shed 20.01 points (0.34%) to finish at 5,920.72 points. The S&P SL20’s YTD return is at -3.84%.
The Total Return Indices mirrored this performance, with the All Share Total Return Index (ASTRI) closing at 32,989.64 and the S&P Sri Lanka 20 Total Return Index at 12,574.30.
Turnover Overview and Investor Activity
Total equity turnover for the day reached Rs. 595,970,127.75. Market capitalization for equity concluded at Rs. 7,587,989,013,942.00. The bond market recorded no turnover today, contrasting with the previous day’s Rs. 787.24 million.
Domestic investors played a significant role in market activity, with purchases totaling Rs. 585,102,459.40 and sales amounting to Rs. 592,996,229.25. Foreign investors recorded a net inflow for the day, with purchases of Rs. 10,867,668.35 surpassing sales of Rs. 2,973,898.50, resulting in a net foreign inflow of Rs. 7,893,769.85.
The total volume of turnover stood at 32,117,393 shares across 13,503 trades. Year-to-date, the average daily turnover is recorded at Rs. 3.70 billion, with an average daily share volume of 143.17 million and 27.75 thousand trades.
Sectoral Performance Highlights
An analysis of GICS Industry Groups revealed mixed results. The top 5 sectors by YTD return were:
- Telecommunication Services: 47%
- Commercial & Professional Services: 26%
- Real Estate Management & Development: 18%
- Health Care Equipment & Services: 4%
- Transportation: 4%
Top Gainers and Losers
On a day marked by overall declines, a few companies managed to buck the trend. The top 3 gainers were:
- EX-PACK (PACK.N): Up 5.83%
- ROYAL PALMS (RPBH.N): Up 4.22%
- DURDANS (CHL.X): Up 3.97%
Conversely, the top 3 losers for the session were:
- INDUSTRIAL ASPHALT (ASPH.N): Down 14.29%
- ACME (ACME.N): Down 10.00%
- S M B FINANCE (SEMB.N): Down 9.09%
Key Corporate Announcements
The CSE also saw a flurry of corporate announcements today, indicating ongoing corporate activities:
- Right Issues: Companies such as AMBEON CAPITAL PLC, BERUWALA RESORTS PLC, KERNER HAUS GLOBAL SOLUTIONS PLC, and SINGER FINANCE (LANKA) PLC announced details of their upcoming right issues.
- Scrip Dividends: CEYLON LAND & EQUITY PLC, MAHARAJA FOODS PLC, RENUKA AGRI FOODS PLC, and RENUKA FOODS PLC, among others, declared scrip dividends with various record dates.
- 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 ABANS ELECTRICALS PLC (Rs. 26.00 per share), declared cash dividends.
- Shareholder Meetings: Numerous Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) were announced, with some already underway and others scheduled for the coming weeks.
- Trading Halted: Trading of ACL CABLES PLC was halted today pending further disclosure.
Economic Indicators and Global Context
The daily indicative exchange rate for the Sri Lankan Rupee against the US Dollar stood at Rs. 330.26. Key lending and deposit rates for the month were 10.88% (Monthly) and 10.94% (Weekly). The Treasury Bill Annual Rate was 10.21%, and the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) remained at 8.75%.
In the commodity markets, Brent Crude Oil was priced at $98.54, while Gold traded at $1,391,962.00 (USD).
Globally, markets presented a mixed picture. Among APAC frontier markets, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Pakistan all recorded daily declines. Developed markets like Japan saw a 0.9% dip in the Nikkei 225, while Singapore and Hong Kong posted minor gains. Emerging markets in APAC, including South Korea and China, also showed declines for the day, with Sri Lanka’s ASPI reflecting the broader regional cautious sentiment.
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