ASPI in noted dip after Monday’s climb

The CSE’s benchmark All Share Price Index moved down 0.08 percent yesterday due to selling pressure, marking an uneventful start to September.

The ASPI was down 20.38 points while the more liquid S&P SL20 was down 0.34 percent, or 20.36 points.

Market turnover was Rs 2.32 billion with five crossings but Food, Beverage & Tobacco led turnover with Rs 400.53 million. Those crossings were: JKH 20.7 million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 408 million; its shares traded at Rs 19.70, Watawala Plantations one million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 42.5 million; its shares traded at Rs 42.50, Sampath Bank 200,000 shares crossed for Rs 28 million; its shares traded at Rs 138.50, Three Acre Farm 42000 shares crossed for Rs 26 million; its shares sold at Rs 620 and CCS 170,000 shares crossed for Rs 20 million; its shares traded at Rs 120.50.

In the retail market companies that mainly contributed to the turnover were; Dialog Axiata Rs 245 million (5.3 million shares traded), JKH Rs 157 million (8 million shares traded), Commercial Credit and Finance Rs 146 million (1.3 million shares traded), CCS Rs 136 million (1.1 million shares traded), Asia Siyaka Rs 86 million (5.8 million shares traded), Brown’s Investments Rs 74 million (13 million shares traded) and Haycarb Rs 65 million (334,000 shares traded). During the day 97 million share volumes changed hands in 17683 transactions.

Positive contributors to the ASPI were; Browns Investments (up 7.55 percent at Rs 5.70), Vallibel One (up 2.03 percent at Rs 90.30), Singer (Sri Lanka) (up 2.78 percent at Rs 81.20 ), Access Engineering (up 0.94 percent at Rs 75.10 ) and Ceylon Cold Stores (up 1.25 percent at Rs 121.75).

JKH (down 2.01 percent at Rs 19.50 ), DFCC Bank (down 1.76 percent at Rs 125.75 ), Dialog Axiata (down 0.86 percent at Rs 46.00), and Aitken Spence (down 1.41 percent at Rs 140.00) were top negative contributors.

It is said that manufacturing sector counters, especially JKH and plantations related sectors, especially Watawela Plantations, Asian Siyaka and Tree Acres farms performed well at the floor.

Meanwhile, Kapruka Holdings disclosed a proposed variation in the application of its IPO funds.

The company’s management concluded that launching a personal cargo market place was not commercially viable and recommended reallocating Rs 50 million of unutilized IPO proceeds toward working capital requirements, subject to shareholder approval at the upcoming AGM.

Kapruka Holdings shares closed up 1.07 percent at Rs 18.90.

Renuka Holdings announced a first and final scrip dividend of Rs 0.212 per voting and non-voting share for the financial year ended March 31, 2026, subject to shareholder approval at its Annual General Meeting on September 24, 2026.Renuka Holdings shares were trading down 6.84 percent at Rs 42.20.

Yesterday the rupee was quoted at Rs 327.90/328.05 to the US dollar in the spot market, stronger from Rs 328.10/30 the previous day, while bond yields were down particularly on the belly end of the actively quoted tenors, dealers said.