Foreign investors in focus as Invest Sri Lanka 2025 set to kick off in March

Colombo, March 11 (Daily Mirror) - The highly-awaited Invest Sri Lanka Capital Market Investor Forum 2025 is set to take place on March 27 and 28, 2025, in Colombo, to woo foreign investors. 

To be held at Shangri-La Colombo, the event is hosted by the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka and stockbroker industry. 

The forum, featuring high-ranking officials, including government policymakers, regulators, representatives of leading listed companies and stockbroker firms, will present a unified vision of Sri Lanka’s potential as a dynamic investment hub.

It will bring together key stakeholders from local and international markets, fostering connections and partnerships that drive mutual growth. This includes foreign institutional investors and fund managers, local fund managers and institutional investors as well as industry leaders, creating a platform for meaningful dialogue and collaboration.

Sri Lanka’s economy is undergoing a commendable revival, positioning its capital market as an attractive diversification option for global investors and offers a unique opportunity to be part of the country’s growth story. 
According to the CSE, the year-on-year returns for 2023 and 2024 were in positive territory, 

with the All-Share Price Index (ASPI) and S&P SL20 providing returns of 25.50 percent and 16.42 percent, respectively in 2023 and the ASPI by 49.66 percent and S&P SL20 by 58.46 percent in 2024. 

“The trend in the indices has continued into 2025, with both indices in positive range, with significant improvement in market volumes and turnover, particularly over the last two years,” the CSE said. In 2024, the market also recorded a positive net inflow of US $ 66.5 million, alongside the highest capital raised in a single year reaching US $ 568.61 million.

“The stability and success achieved on the economic front coupled with the political stability in the country have reinforced investor confidence. This administration’s commitment to reducing state expenditure, advancing external debt restructuring, adhering to the International Monetary Fund reform programme amidst currency stability and a low-interest rate environment, has bolstered Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and stock market growth,” the CSE said in a statement. 

The conclusion of Sri Lanka’s international debt restructuring has improved the sovereign credit rating, reducing default risk and enhancing confidence in new issuances.Furthermore, with a market P/E of 8.7x, the Sri Lankan stock market stands out as an attractive option, relative to more expensive peer markets.