CSE opens week marginally up after early rally

Tuesday, 24 February 2026 04:27 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Colombo stock market opened the week in green with a marginal gain having failed to sustain a sharp opening rally.

The ASPI gained 109.82 points in early trading but the rally petered out with the index ending up just 0.04% or 9.38 points at 23,783.02. The active S&P SL20 ended up 0.11% or 7.24 points at 6,728.71.

Market turnover was below Rs. 2.6 billion on over 97 million shares traded. Foreign investors were net sellers on a Rs. 52.8 million net outflow.

First Capital Research said the bourse started the week on a mildly positive note, with the ASPI registering a modest gain. Trading remained volatile, with early gains gradually easing as the session progressed, however the index managed to maintain its ground within the green zone despite a softer market tone.

MELS, RICH, PLR, COMB, and HNB emerged as the key positive contributors to the index. Retail investors were the primary participants during the day’s session, while HNW activity appeared limited.

The banking sector stood out as the topmost contributor to today’s turnover, accounting for a share of 17%. This was followed by the capital goods, and materials sectors which produced a joint contribution of around 29%.