CSE ends marginally down after early rally

Thursday, 1 October 2026 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Colombo stock market yesterday ended marginally down after failing to sustain a sharp early-trading rally.

The ASPI ended down a marginal 0.02% or 4.89 points at 20,812.93 while the S&P SL20 also edged down 0.04% or 2.24 points to 5,894.16.

Turnover was over Rs. 1.55 billion on nearly 59 million shares traded. Foreign investors turned net sellers, posting a net outflow of Rs. 67.4 million.

First Capital Research said the bourse remained relatively stable, recording a gain of over 100 points during the morning session, supported by CBSL’s decision to maintain the OPR at 8.75% at Tuesday’s policy meeting. However, selling pressure emerged in the second half of trading, resulting in a marginal decline by the close.

The session was characterized by mixed investor sentiment, with the market registering only a modest dip amid late selling pressure. Turnover picked up from the subdued levels seen over the past two sessions, with HNW investors carrying a significant share of market activity despite both HNW and retail participation remaining low.

Trading activity was largely concentrated in AEL, which contributed significantly to the day’s turnover. The capital goods sector led the daily turnover with a share of 36%, followed by the banking, and diversified financials sectors collectively contributing 26%.