By: Isuru Parakrama
April 17, Colombo (LNW): The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) resumed operations on Wednesday (16) following the Sinhala and Tamil New Year holidays, recording modest yet encouraging gains in its key performance indices.
The market opened to a notably quiet trading day but still managed to reflect investor optimism through positive price movements.
The All Share Price Index (ASPI), which tracks the broader market, climbed nearly 100 points to end the session at 15,625.88. Similarly, the S&P SL20 Index — a key gauge of blue-chip stocks — advanced by close to 30 points, reaching 4,644.49 by market close.
Despite the uptick in indices, trading volumes remained subdued. The day’s turnover amounted to Rs. 792 million, signalling a marked drop when compared to the more robust volumes recorded during recent sessions.
Analysts attributed the muted activity to the transitional period following the New Year break, where many investors have yet to return fully to the market.
Local retail and institutional participants accounted for the bulk of the day’s trades. Domestic buying outpaced selling slightly, with Rs. 781 million in purchases and Rs. 730 million in sales — suggesting a cautious but steady return of local interest.
Meanwhile, foreign investor engagement remained notably marginal. Overseas buyers contributed a modest Rs. 11 million in inflows, while foreign outflows amounted to Rs. 61 million, reflecting a continued hesitancy among international participants to re-enter the Sri Lankan market in any significant capacity.
Market observers noted that whilst the post-holiday session lacked vibrancy in terms of volume, the upward trend in indices offered a positive signal of investor sentiment.
