The Colombo Stock Exchange closed higher on Tuesday, with the benchmark All Share Price Index up 143.89 points or 0.67% at 21,547 and the more liquid S&P SL20 up 33.26 points or 0.54% at 6,000, EconomyNext reported.
The close gave back a small portion of the midday rebound that had pushed the ASPI to 21,581.80 but locked in a recovery from Monday’s 366-point rate-hike selloff to 21,377. The S&P SL20 ticking through the 6,000 level is the first close at that round-number threshold this cycle.
Dialog Axiata was the standout, jumping 6.80% to Rs. 44.00 and contributing more than any other counter to the index move — an unusually large single-day gain for a blue-chip. Sampath Bank was up 0.72% at Rs. 139.75, LOLC Holdings up 1.73% at Rs. 527.75 and Melstacorp up 0.70% at Rs. 179.00.
Lion Brewery Ceylon fell 3.27% to Rs. 1,713.25, John Keells Holdings was down 0.51% at Rs. 19.70 and Cargills (Ceylon) dropped 1.27% to Rs. 661.25, the top three drags on the benchmark.
Market turnover stood at Rs. 2.16 billion. Capital goods led trading with Rs. 791.2 million.
Among earnings disclosures, Blue Diamonds Jewellery Worldwide reported its net loss for the March 2026 quarter had widened to Rs. 30.40 million from Rs. 16.51 million in the same quarter of 2025.
The close came alongside the rupee weakening slightly to Rs. 337.00/75 against the US dollar, with bond yields ticking higher after the Central Bank’s surprise 100 basis-point policy rate hike on May 26.
