📉 CSE Ends March in the Red as Volatility Continues

The Colombo stock market closed marginally lower on Tuesday, recovering from a sharp intra-day slump where the ASPI briefly dipped below the 21,000-point threshold. • Market Performance: The ASPI fell 0.12% (26.06 points) to close at 21,066.18, while the S&P SL20 ended 0.08% lower at 5,904.10. • Monthly Decline: During March 2026, the market saw significant erosion, with the ASPI down 11.24% and the S&P SL20 down 11.03%. • Valuation Impact: The market has lost approximately Rs. 903 Bn in value since the onset of Middle East regional tensions on 28 February. • Trading Activity: Market turnover stood at nearly Rs. 3.6 Bn with 165 million shares traded. Crossings represented a significant 33.7% of the total turnover. • Sector Contributions: The Capital Goods sector led turnover at 52%, followed by the Banking and Materials sectors at a combined 28%. • Investor Sentiment: Foreign investors remained net sellers with an outflow of Rs. 125 million. Top negative contributors included SAMP, NDB, HAYL, ACL, and GLAS. _Source: Based on provisional market data for March 31, 2026._