The Colombo Stock Exchange came under sustained selling pressure on Tuesday, with both benchmark indices closing firmly lower as weakness spread across the broader market.
The All Share Price Index fell 137.81 points, or 0.64%, to close at 21,479.07. The S&P Sri Lanka 20 Index lost 43.63 points, or 0.72%, ending at 6,040.91, Daily Mirror reported.
The ASPI opened near 21,630 and declined steadily through the morning, approaching 21,500 by midday. A brief afternoon recovery was undone by renewed selling into the close.
Breadth turns sharply negative
Only 48 securities advanced against 171 decliners, an advance-to-decline ratio of 0.28 — an indication that the weakness extended well beyond a handful of index-heavy counters.
Foreign investors remained net sellers, recording a net outflow of Rs. 605.97 million during the session.
Total turnover reached Rs. 2.04 billion, with approximately 80.22 million shares changing hands. Crossings accounted for around Rs. 760.30 million, or roughly 37% of total equity turnover.
Capital goods dominates trading
The capital goods sector generated Rs. 993.83 million in turnover from about 43.37 million shares. John Keells Holdings accounted for the bulk of that activity with Rs. 699.23 million, including six crossings totalling approximately Rs. 670.41 million, with around 33.69 million shares changing hands at Rs. 19.90 per share.
Sampath Bank was the largest drag on the index, subtracting 17.68 points. Dialog Axiata, Commercial Bank, Lion Brewery and Bukit Darah were also among the major negative contributors.
C T Holdings was the strongest positive contributor, adding 10.48 points, with Melstacorp, SMB Finance non-voting, Harischandra Mills and Ceylon Tobacco Company providing further support.
After John Keells, the highest individual counter turnovers were AMSL.N at Rs. 176.48 million and Melstacorp at Rs. 158.51 million.
The session marked a clear deterioration in near-term momentum following a recent upward run, with the sharp rise in decliners suggesting profit-taking had broadened across the market. The close leaves the index below the 21,644 level reached on August 14.
