ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka stocks closed up 0.7 percent on Monday, led by investor interest in financial and related shares, brokers said.
“Banks had a sizeable run which contributed to the index,” Dimantha Mathew, Chief Research and Strategy Officer at First Capital Holdings PLC, said.
The broader ASPI rose 164.34 points to end at 23,502.59; while the more liquid S&P SL20 moved 1.86 percent, or 118.57 points to close up at 6,500.04.
Top contributors to the ASPI were HNB (up 18.25rupees at 423.00), Sampath Bank (up 5.75 rupees at 156.00), Commercial Bank (up 3.50 rupees at 215.75), NDB (up 4.75 rupees at 154.50) and Dialog Axiata (up 1.00 rupees at 31.30).
SMB Finance (non-voting) was the top gainer of the session. The stock climbed 0.10 rupees higher to 0.40 on Monday.
“With the Friday budget we saw strong buying interest in construction shares,” Mathew said.
Access Engineering rose 2.40 rupees to 64.10, Kelani Cables closed 19.00 rupees higher at 1,125.25, and Lanka Ceramics climbed 2.75 rupees to 172.75.
Market turnover climbed from 6.7 billion rupees to 7.5 billion, while share volume was 252,962,758.
“JKH results came out and we are seeing some buying interest,” Mathew said.
John Keells Holdings traded 0.30 rupees higher at 22.30.
John Keells Holdings’ profits have risen 21 percent to 1.65 billion rupees in the September 2025 quarter with strong revenues from its electric vehicle sales and casino operations.
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Elsewhere, stock markets rose in the hope of the US government shutdown ending.
“Stocks from the United States to Japan have risen sharply amid hopes that an end to the longest US government shutdown in history is imminent,” Al Jazeera said.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rebounded “helped by growing expectations that the U.S. government shutdown will end soon,”The Mainichinewspaper said.
The index was 1.26 percent higher at 50,911.76.
Pakistan’s KSE 100 index was trading 1.22 percent higher at 161,538.40.
Meanwhile, India’s Nifty 50 index moved 0.32 percent up to close at 25,574.35, while the BSE Sensex moved 0.38 percent higher to 83,535.35. (Colombo/Nov10/2025)
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