CSE ends flat after early volatility amid strong turnover

By Almas Equities Research 

The Colombo Stock Exchange witnessed a volatile trading session today, with the ASPI initially slipping nearly 150 points on the back of profit-taking before staging a late recovery. Despite the rebound, the ASPI closed almost flat, posting a marginal gain of 0.69 points to end at 20,715.49. The S&P SL20 advanced 3.49 points (+0.06%) to close at 6,108.49. Market activity remained strong, with a turnover of LKR 10.52 Bn and 378.30 Mn shares traded. Crossings contributed significantly, accounting for LKR 2.85 Bn (27% of total turnover), led by HNB.N with LKR 1.08 Bn.

Sector-wise, the Consumer Services sector dominated activity, contributing nearly 16.50% to overall turnover. Investor sentiment was broadly mixed, with 112 companies supporting the ASPI while 101 weighed negatively. Among the top gainers, DIAL.N generated LKR 79.21 Mn turnover from 3.41 Mn shares, while counters such as SUN.N, RCL.N, COOP.N, and GREG.N also provided notable positive momentum. MEL.N stood out with a sharp price gain of 23.33%, underscoring heightened investor interest.

On the flip side, CTHR.N topped the list of negative contributors with a turnover of just LKR 0.54 Mn from 794 shares, while DFCC.N, CARG.N, SAMP.N, and CTC.N exerted further pressure on the index. Despite the subdued closing, the session reflected active participation across both retail and institutional investors, with SUN.N recording a notable volume of trades, signaling selective buying interest within key counters.