ECONOMYNEXT – Diversified conglomerates and financials boosted the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) on Thursday to recover from its five-day losing streak, brokers said.
“Today the market recovered after a choppy trade session,” Dimantha Mathew, Chief Research and Strategy Officer at First Capital Holdings PLC said. “There’s a right amount of profit taking.”
“We are seeing some level of volatility these days.”
The broader All Share Price Index (ASPI) rose 0.33 percent or 75.10 points, from Wednesday to close at 23,104.96. Index continued to trade upward after the opening bell with some volatility in the market.
Meanwhile, the more liquid S&P SL20 index closed 0.32 percent, or 20.60 points higher, at 6,382.18.
“It was mostly the blue chips that came to the forefront, ” Mathew said.
Top contributors to the ASPI were Sampath Bank (up 2.25 rupees at 148.75), Richard Pieris & Company (up 1.30 rupees at 43.20 rupees), Bukit Darah (up 40.25 rupees at 1,100.00 rupees), John Keells Holdings (up 20 cents at 22.90 rupees), and Carson Cumberbatch (up 21.25 rupees at 794.75).
“John Keells and its related companies, like CIC, moved in value,” he said.
CIC Holding stock was trading 1.20 rupees higher at 34.20.
Some interest in the construction and real estate related stocks was seen in the market, Mathew said.
Access Engineering rose 40 cents to 67.10 rupees while ACL Cables moved 50 cents higher to 223.50 rupees.
Market turnover continued its fall from 3.8 billion rupees to 3.4 billion, while the share volume was 151,207,761.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned people who recommends investments online without being a registered investment advisor or a body licensed by the regulator to be prosecuted before the high court under the SEC act.
“Any person who contravenes… the SEC Act shall be prosecuted before the High Court and, upon conviction, be liable to a fine of not less than Rs. 10 million, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years, or both.”
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Elsewhere in Asia, equity markets traded positively.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index breaks its four-day losing streak to end higher on Thursday, Japan’s The Mainichi newspaper said.
“Tokyo stocks rebounded sharply Thursday to snap a four-day losing streak,lifted by heavyweight semiconductor and export-related issues, while concerns about Japan’s fiscal health triggered a selloff in the yen and bonds,” The Mainichi newspaper said.
The index rose 0.65 percent to 49,823.94.
Pakistan’s KSE 100 index was up, 0.49 percent at 163,022.18 on open.
India’s Nifty 50 index moved 0.54 percent higher to close at 26,192.15, while the BSE Sensex moved 0.52 percent up to 85,632.68. (Colombo/Nov20/2025)
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