[REVISION HISTORY]

Colombo Stock Exchange market activity

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-10 04:36 UTC → 2026-09-11 09:56 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Colombo Stock Exchange has experienced fluctuations in turnover and sector dominance during August 2026, characterized by a significant surge in foreign net outflows. In mid-August, the benchmark All Share Price Index (ASPI) rose 0.56 percent, driven largely by the banking sector. Market turnover reached 2.78 billion rupees, with significant contributions from Hatton National Bank. By late August, turnover fell by 18.8 percent on August 24, even as trading volume increased. By August 28, the ASPI declined by 0.31 percent to 21,279.65 due to low trading volumes and net outflows from foreign investors. Foreign divestment has accelerated, with net outflows reaching Rs. 55.7 billion during the first eight months of 2026—more than double the Rs. 22.34 billion recorded during the same period last year. August 2026 marked the largest monthly net foreign outflow on record at approximately Rs. 19.46 billion. While selling was broad-based, three counters—Commercial Credit and Finance, Cargills, and RIL Property—accounted for roughly 84 percent of the net foreign selling in August. In early September, foreign selling continued. On a single trading day, outflows reached LKR 612.5 million, pushing the year-to-date cumulative net outflow above LKR 56 billion. On a subsequent Wednesday, the exchange saw a net outflow of LKR 71.29 million, driven significantly by a LKR 57.0 million exit from Diesel & Motor Engineering (DIMO). Despite this heavy foreign selling, market indices advanced during August, supported by local Sri Lankan investors. By September 10, the ASPI and S&P SL20 both fell by approximately 0.50 percent in a single session. During this period, banking stocks accounted for over 40 percent of total turnover. Trading activity has shown signs of volatility and thinning liquidity, with daily turnover dropping below LKR 1.0 billion—a 63.8 percent decline from the monthly average.

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