ECONOMYNEXT – Colombo’s All Share Price Index (ASPI) rose 0.74 percent on Monday, pushed in part by banking shares, brokers said.
The broader ASPI ended 125.03 points higher at 16,979.89. The more liquid S&P SL20 closed up 1.07 percent, or 53.35 points at 5,034.92.
Top contributors to the ASPI were Sampath Bank, which ended 2.75 rupees up at 117.75; followed by DFCC Bank, which rose 4.75 rupees to 110.25; NDB, which ended 4.25 rupees higher at 114.00; Access Engineering which rose 3.60 rupees to 42.00; and HNB, which rose 4.50 rupees to close at 314.75.
Turnover was 5.8 billion rupees while share volumes grew to 363,399,867 from 210,809,185 in previous session.
The US administration’s announcement on steel and aluminium imports has dragged global markets down.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index fell 1.30 percent, or 494.43 points, lower to close at 37,470.67 due to the uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump’s tariff announcements.
“The flip-flops in his policy make it difficult for companies to make investment decisions in the long run, possibly causing them to hold back on capital spending,” Japan’s The Mainichi newspaper quoted Masahiro Yamaguchi, head of investment research at SMBC Trust Bank as saying.
Investor interest was also weighed down by resurfacing US-China tensions.
Pakistan Stock exchange’ KSE 100 index was trading 0.05 percent weaker on Monday at 119,631.21 while India’s Nifty 50 was trading 0.28 percent lower at 24,681.60.
India’s Information Technology related stocks fell on Monday as US tariff continued to confuse market participants.
The London Stock Exchange’s FTSE 100 index was down 0.40 percent up at 11,235.00.
As at 3.30 pm Sri Lankan time, spot gold was trading at 3,362.18 US dollars, up 65.59 US dollars. (Colombo/Jun2/2025)
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