CSE Closes Lower as Profit-Taking Weighs on Indices

By Almas Equities Research 

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) closed on a negative note today, with the All Share Price Index (ASPI) declining by 73.61 points (-0.36%) to settle at 20,575.59. The market opened with a sharp drop of nearly 188 points amid strong selling pressure, staged a brief recovery, but weakened again towards the close. The S&P SL20 also fell by 47.33 points (-0.78%) to 6,042.51, reflecting broad-based selling, largely influenced by profit-taking by investors.

Market activity recorded a total turnover of LKR 4.41 billion, supported by 133.94 million shares changing hands. Crossings contributed LKR 1.23 billion, accounting for 28% of the day’s total turnover, led by HNB.N with LKR 0.79 billion. The Banking sector remained the largest contributor, generating nearly 31% of the market’s total turnover. Among individual stocks, HNB.N, JKH.N, COMB.N, HAYL.N, and CARG.N weighed heavily on the ASPI negatively, while CINS.N, CTHR.N, LOLC.N, BIL.N, and CINV.N provided some positive support.

Investor interest was also evident in select counters, with CHOT.N recording a significant number of trades and COCO.N gaining notable traction, rising by 9.77% in price. Overall, 76 companies ended in positive territory, while 142 closed lower, underscoring the day’s bearish undertone. Despite the profit-taking pressure, selective opportunities emerged across diversified sectors, signaling continued investor activity in both turnover-heavy and momentum-driven counters.

On the macroeconomic front, Sri Lanka’s export sector continued to demonstrate resilience and steady momentum during the first seven months of 2025, with total exports amounting to US$ 9,992.53 million. This reflects a robust year-on-year growth of 7.79% compared to the corresponding period in 2024, underscoring the sector’s sustained contribution to the country’s external earnings despite global and domestic challenges.