Stock Market

CSE Heats Up Ahead of Elections; ASPI Inches Closer to 13,000 Points

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) saw a surge in activity yesterday, revving up ahead of tomorrow’s Parliamentary Election, with the benchmark ASPI briefly touching the 13,000-point mark and turnover crossing Rs. 4 billion. By midday, the ASPI surpassed 13,000 points, but closed the day at 12,988 points, up 0.9%. The active S&P SL20 also gained

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Finance

Sri Lanka Banks and SMEs Discuss Parate Law and Loan Issues

Sri Lanka’s banks, regulators, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) gathered at the Presidential Secretariat to address challenges surrounding parate execution (foreclosure) laws and difficulties in loan repayments. A key focus of the meeting was the suspension of the law on parate execution, which governs the auctioning of collateral for defaulted loans. The law has

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Finance

Sri Lanka’s Financial System Set for Recovery Amid Asset Quality Gains and Stronger Capital Buffers

Sri Lanka’s financial system is on the path to recovery, with expectations of improved asset quality and strengthened capital buffers, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) in its Financial Stability Review 2024. This positive outlook emerges as the economy stabilizes despite ongoing challenges stemming from previous macrofinancial imbalances, which are gradually being

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Stock Market

Colombo Stock Market Closes Higher as JKH Drives Net Foreign Buying

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) saw a modest positive close yesterday, supported by a late-day rally in an otherwise volatile session. The benchmark All Share Price Index (ASPI) increased by 12 points, while the more active S&P SL20 rose by 7 points. Total turnover reached Rs. 1.6 billion, involving the trading of 61 million shares.

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Finance

Chamber and SLBA Strengthen Partnership for Sustainable Finance

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Sri Lanka Banks’ Association (SLBA) have formalized and strengthened their partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote sustainable finance and financial inclusion in Sri Lanka. This collaboration aims to build both demand-side and supply-side capacities in sustainable finance, supporting the advancement of Sri Lanka’s Sustainable

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Industry Analysis

Amana Bank Declares Record Dividend for Seventh Straight Year

Amana Bank has declared its seventh consecutive annual dividend, marking its highest payout to date, totaling Rs. 661 million. This represents a significant doubling of the dividend compared to 2023. The bank announced an Interim Cash Dividend of Rs. 1.20 per share to its shareholders, with a total of 551,125,746 ordinary shares issued as of

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Industry Analysis

Siyapatha Finance Reports Strong Financial Growth in 1H 2024

Siyapatha Finance PLC recently announced steady financial growth for the first half of 2024, ending June 30. The company achieved a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs. 513 million, marking a remarkable 189% increase compared to the same period last year. Profit before tax (PBT) also saw substantial growth, rising by 133% to Rs. 1,215

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Finance

Dinesh Weerakkody Appointed as New Chairman of Union Bank of Colombo

Dinesh Weerakkody, a highly regarded professional with extensive experience in the banking sector, has been appointed as the new Chairman of Union Bank of Colombo, following the resignation of Nirvana Chaudhary. Chaudhary will continue to serve on the Board as a Director. Union Bank is predominantly owned by Nepalese billionaire Binod Choudhary through Culture Financial

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Stock Market

Colombo Stock Market Surges to 14-Month High with Record Single-Day Gain

The Colombo stock market reached new heights yesterday as investor confidence soared under the newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The benchmark All Share Price Index (ASPI) skyrocketed by 326 points, marking its highest single-day gain in 14 months, a 2.87% increase to a two-month high. Over the past seven sessions, the ASPI has gained

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Stock Market

Colombo Stock Market Sees Highest Daily Gain in 2024 Amid AKD Optimism

In a significant display of investor confidence following the election of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Colombo stock market surged to record its largest daily gain in 2024. The All Share Price Index (ASPI) leapt by 237.31 points (2.14%), and the S&P SL20 followed with a 75-point increase (2.36%). Turnover hit Rs. 2 billion, involving

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