The Colombo Stock Exchange logged its strongest monthly performance since July 2025, with the All Share Price Index gaining 7% and the S&P SL20 rising 5.1% over April, NDB Securities said. Average daily turnover for the month came in at Rs. 3.66 billion.
April closed on a softer note. On the final trading day, the ASPI fell 0.38% or 85 points to 22,550, while the S&P SL20 dropped 0.54% or 33 points to 6,208. Total turnover crossed Rs. 3.4 billion. Foreign investors remained net sellers with an outflow of Rs. 75 million.
Price losses in John Keells Holdings, Sampath Bank and Commercial Bank weighed on the index. JKH shares slipped 20 cents to Rs. 20.40, while Access Engineering rose 90 cents to Rs. 76.90. Elpitiya Plantations gained Rs. 5.25 to close at Rs. 186.25, and Melstacorp eased Re. 1 to Rs. 183. Janashakthi Ltd. closed 40 cents lower at Rs. 13.30.
The capital goods sector led daily turnover at 29% of activity, driven by JKH and Access Engineering, even as the sector index lost 0.56%. The food, beverage and tobacco segment was the second-largest contributor, helped by Elpitiya Plantations and Melstacorp. Together with the diversified financials sector, the three groups accounted for 40% of turnover.
High-net-worth and institutional participation was visible in JKH, Access Engineering and Elpitiya Plantations, with mixed interest in Janashakthi, Kotagala Plantations and Watawala Plantations. Retail flows centred on UB Finance, Hela Apparel Holdings and Citrus Leisure. Crossings made up 26% of daily turnover.
First Capital Research attributed the weaker close to an uncertain global geopolitical environment and mixed investor sentiment, citing DIAL, JKH, COMB, CCS and MELS as the day’s top negative contributors to the ASPI.
Source: Daily FT.
