The Colombo Stock Exchange closed higher on Friday, with the All Share Price Index up 0.44 percent or 95.87 points to 21,929.64 as capital goods led market turnover, EconomyNext reported. The more liquid S&P SL20 rose 0.37 percent or 22.31 points to 6,061.02.
Despite the daily gain, the benchmark index ended 975.36 points below the previous Friday’s close — a weekly drop driven by the sharp mid-week rupee slide that prompted heavy selling earlier in the week.
John Keells Holdings, the index heavyweight, was the largest positive contributor, rising 1.01 percent to Rs.20.00. Melstacorp added 0.95 percent at Rs.186.25, while Richard Pieris and Company gained 4.52 percent to Rs.32.40 and Sampath Bank rose 0.70 percent to Rs.143.00.
Negative contributors included Bukit Darah, down 2.20 percent at Rs.877.00, People’s Leasing & Finance, down 2.64 percent at Rs.22.10, Commercial Bank of Ceylon, down 0.25 percent at Rs.203.00, and Asiri Hospital Holdings, down 4.15 percent at Rs.37.00.
Turnover reached Rs.2.17 billion, with capital goods leading at Rs.545.5 million.
Lanka Hospitals Corporation announced a tax-free final dividend of Rs.1.00 per share for the financial year ended December 31, 2025. The Rs.223.73 million payout will be funded from dividends received by the company and does not require shareholder approval. Lanka Hospitals shares closed 0.71 percent higher at Rs.105.75.
The session followed Friday’s sharp rupee recovery to Rs.329 spot from Rs.342–350 a day earlier, with bond yields recovering across the curve. The market also looks ahead to the IMF Executive Board’s review of Sri Lanka on May 27, which is expected to release a USD 700 million tranche.
Source: EconomyNext.
