Sampath Bank alone accounted for a quarter of the day’s trading value, as three sectors generated roughly three-quarters of turnover.
Banking stocks accounted for 34% of turnover on the Colombo Stock Exchange on October 1, and a single counter, Sampath Bank, made up most of that share.
Sampath Bank traded LKR 352 million, about 25% of total market turnover of LKR 1.43 billion. Hatton National Bank (HNB) contributed LKR 66 million, or 5%. Together, the two counters represent the bulk of the banking sector’s turnover, which works out to roughly LKR 490 million at a 34% share.
The Capital Goods and Energy sectors together accounted for a further 40% of turnover. Among the leading counters, AEL traded LKR 175 million (12%) and Lanka IOC LKR 150 million (10%). John Keells Holdings added LKR 135 million (9%). On these shares, banking, capital goods and energy together generated close to three-quarters of the day’s trading value.
Foreign investors were net buyers of both banks in the top turnover group. Net foreign buying in Sampath Bank was LKR 14.0 million, the largest of any stock, and HNB drew LKR 2.8 million. Overall, however, foreign investors were net sellers of LKR 94.2 million on the day.
Total turnover was about 2% below the monthly average of LKR 1.5 billion and 7.7% lower than the previous session. The ASPI rose 0.33% to 20,880.90, ending a five-day losing run.
Key Numbers
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Banking sector share of turnover | 34% |
| Capital Goods and Energy combined share | 40% |
| Sampath Bank turnover | LKR 352 Mn (about 25%) |
| HNB turnover | LKR 66 Mn (about 5%) |
| Net foreign buying, Sampath Bank | LKR 14.0 Mn |
| Net foreign buying, HNB | LKR 2.8 Mn |
| Total market turnover | LKR 1,434.1 Mn |
| ASPI | 20,880.90 (+0.33%) |
Business Impact
Concentrated trading is a reminder that turnover headlines can reflect activity in a handful of stocks rather than broad participation. For investors and finance teams, sector shares and single-stock contributions give a better sense of where market activity sat than the total alone. The banking sector’s weight in turnover also reflects its size in the Sri Lankan equity market.
This article reports market data and does not constitute investment advice.
Source Attribution: Colombo Stock Exchange market data and publicly available market information.