ASPI and S&P SL20 extend weekly gains while foreign investors remain net sellers
The Colombo Stock Exchange closed higher on Friday, with both benchmark indices advancing more than one percent to end the trading week on firmer ground.
The All Share Price Index (ASPI) rose 225.33 points, or 1.05 percent, to close at 21,620.44. The S&P SL20, which tracks the bourse’s most liquid large-cap counters, gained 63.67 points, or 1.06 percent, to settle at 6,058.92. Total market capitalisation edged up 1.1 percent to LKR 7,821.06 billion.
Key Highlights
Market turnover rose to LKR 2,677.67 million, an increase of 9.5 percent over the previous session. Despite the day-on-day improvement, turnover remained 20.9 percent below the monthly average of LKR 3.4 billion, indicating that overall trading activity has yet to return to typical levels. Share volume for the day totalled 79.02 million, down 33.1 percent from the prior session.
Stock Market Summary
Trading activity was concentrated in the Food, Beverage & Tobacco sector, which accounted for 24 percent of daily turnover. The Capital Goods and Materials sectors together contributed a further 37 percent of turnover. Among individual counters, ASPH, SEMB, HPWR, RAL and EML posted the day’s largest gains, while TAJ, COMD, OFEQ, PARA and MBSL.P registered the steepest declines.
Fixed Income and Currency Market Update
No fixed income or currency market data was included in today’s report. These segments will be covered separately when data becomes available.
Business Impact
Foreign investors were net sellers on the day, with outflows of LKR 107.94 million against inflows of LKR 40.95 million, resulting in a net outflow of LKR 66.99 million. This extends a longer-running trend: net foreign outflows have reached LKR 618.4 million for the month to date and LKR 56.4 billion for the year to date. Market valuations stood at a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.4 times and a price-to-book ratio of 1.3 times, levels that remain relevant for investors and listed company boards assessing capital-raising conditions.
What to Watch Next
Market participants will be watching whether turnover can close the gap to its monthly average, and whether the sustained pace of foreign selling seen through the year continues into the new trading week.
Key Numbers
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| ASPI | 21,620.44 (+1.05%) |
| S&P SL20 | 6,058.92 (+1.06%) |
| Turnover | LKR 2,677.67 Mn |
| Market Cap | LKR 7,821.06 Bn |
| Net Foreign Flow (Day) | -LKR 66.99 Mn |
| Net Foreign Flow (YTD) | -LKR 56,358.8 Mn |
| PER / PBV | 11.4x / 1.3x |
Source Attribution:
Source: Colombo Stock Exchange market data and publicly available market information.