Sri Lanka rupee steadies as bond yields fall, stock market mixed

Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange showed mixed performance on July 30, with the All Share Price Index down 0.12% while the S&P SL20 rose 0.07%. Positive contributors included Dialog Axiata and Sampath Bank; declines were led by Hatton National Bank and Commercial Bank of Ceylon. Capital goods drove market turnover, and Commercial Bank of Ceylon announced new Basel III‑compliant debentures. JAT Holdings declared a final dividend of 0.72 rupees per share.

The rupee edged stronger, quoted around 335.6–335.8 per U.S. dollar on July 31, and bond yields slipped modestly across several maturities. Sri Lanka Customs reported exceeding its July revenue target for the seventh month in a row. Meanwhile, Sampath Bank hosted an SME Business Circle in Jaffna, focusing on sustainable finance and growth strategies for small and medium enterprises.