CSE gains sharply, up 2% as turnover recovers

Thursday, 5 November 2026 06:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Colombo stock exchange gained sharply yesterday, extending a rebound into a second session driven by an uptick in market activity.

The ASPI was up 2.09% or 421.48 points at 20,541.12 and the S&P SL20 gained 2.10% or 120.23 points to 5,842.80. With gainers out-weighing losers 217 to just 23, the biggest contributors to the ASPI gain were COMB, DIAL, HNB, LOFC and CIC.

Turnover recovered to over Rs. 3.86 billion, up from a monthly daily average of over Rs. 1.4 billion, on over 119 million shares traded. Foreign investors were net sellers on a net outflow of Rs. 136.5 million.

First Capital Research said the bourse continued its upward trajectory from the previous session, with a notable increase in market activity and turnover. Investor participation strengthened considerably, with both retail and HNW segments recording elevated activity and contributing almost equally to the turnover.

The improved sentiment may have been supported by optimism surrounding the midterm elections, while the sharp increase in turnover reflected renewed investor interest in the market. The banking sector led the daily turnover with a share of 25%, followed by the materials, and diversified financials sectors collectively contributing 30%.