“Upbeat mood fuels market strength”

An upbeat sentiment continued to fuel strength in the Colombo Bourse, as the market moved higher with gains driven by a broad mix of sectors on Fridday.(10)

The All-Share Price Index (ASPI) closed at 22,319, up by 144 points, supported by strong participation from both retail and high-net-worth (HNW) investors. HNW activity was particularly concentrated in Banking and Diversified Financials sector counters, with JKH, HNB, LFIN, COMB, and PKME emerging as the top positive contributors to the index. Market turnover amounted to LKR 8.5 billion, reflecting a 16% increase compared to the monthly average of LKR 7.3 billion.

According to First Capital Research, the Diversified Financials sector led sector-wise turnover contribution with a 37% share, while the Banking and Capital Goods sectors collectively accounted for 30%.

CFVF saw notable gains following the announcement of a cash dividend, while ACL attracted heightened HNW interest due to the share subdivision.

Investor interest in penny stocks also remained elevated, continuing the trend observed in the previous session.

Meanwhile, foreign investors turned net sellers, recording a net outflow of LKR 98.1 million.