Colombo Stock Exchange rises as banking sector drives turnover

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) closed higher on Thursday, with the benchmark All Share Price Index (ASPI) rising 0.56 percent to 21,539.00 points. The S&P SL20 index also saw a gain of 0.53 percent, reaching 6,032.09 points.

The banking sector drove market turnover, which totaled 2.78 billion rupees, with banks accounting for 1.07 billion rupees of that volume. Hatton National Bank reported a quarterly profit of 11.77 billion rupees for the period ending June 30, 2026, a 0.3 percent increase from the previous year.

Key positive contributors to the ASPI included Dialog Axiata, Cargills (Ceylon), DFCC Bank, and National Development Bank. Conversely, LOLC Holdings, Seylan Bank, and Commercial Development Company were among the top negative contributors. Analysts suggest the upward trend reflects growing investor appetite as the national economy continues a gradual recovery.