CSE invites public onto trading floor

• The first investor forum in a planned series of islandwide events will be held at the World Trade Centre in Colombo, on June 25, with the trading floor open to visitors from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and a public forum scheduled for 5:00 p.m. in Sinhala.

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) will open its trading floor to the public later this month as part of a nationwide investor education drive, aimed at attracting new retail investors to Sri Lanka’s capital market amid a strong market rally over the past six years.

The bourse, together with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC), said the first investor forum in a planned series of islandwide events would be held at the World Trade Centre in Colombo, on June 25, with the trading floor open to visitors from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and a public forum scheduled for 5:00 p.m. in Sinhala.

Sri Lanka’s stock market continues to post robust gains, with the benchmark All Share Price Index climbing from 4,846 points in May 2020 to 22,310.80 points by end-May 2026, representing a growth of about 360 percent over the six-year period. The CSE said the rise translates to a compound annual growth rate of nearly 29 percent.

The exchange said the representatives from the stockbroking firms and unit trust associations would be present throughout the day to assist the prospective investors in opening accounts and learning about investment opportunities in the capital market. The first 200 participants who open accounts on the day will be eligible to enter a raffle draw for an investment coupon.

The officials from the CSE, SEC and Central Bank of Sri Lanka, together with the market intermediaries, are expected to participate in panel discussions and educational sessions covering market fundamentals, investor protection mechanisms, macroeconomic outlook and investment opportunities available through equities and unit trusts.

The forum is part of a broader effort by the market regulators and exchange to improve financial literacy and broaden participation in Sri Lanka’s capital markets, at a time when the declining interest rates, improving economic conditions and rising investor confidence have helped revive activity on the Colombo bourse.

According to the CSE, the programme is intended to provide potential investors with a comprehensive understanding of how to access the stock market, assess investment opportunities and make informed financial decisions. 

The exchange said the Colombo event would mark the beginning of a nationwide campaign to expand investor awareness and strengthen public engagement with the capital market through the CSE’s islandwide network.