ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s stock market closed up on Friday, after both its indices hit records in the day, as the All Share Price Index surpassed 22,000 points, and S&P SL20 surpassed 6,200 points.
The broader ASPI rose 0.65 percent, or 143.10 points, to end at 22,094.89; while the more liquid S&P SL20 closed 0.64 percent, or 39.30 points higher, at 6,187.51.
Top contributors to the ASPI were Melstacorp (up 11.25 rupees at 191.50), Sampath Bank (up 2.25 rupees at 148.25), Dipped Products (up 5.20 rupees at 71.00), Hayleys Plc (up 3.75 rupees at 191.50) and Commercial Bank (up 1.50 rupees at 194.75).
Market turnover was 9.7 billion rupees.
Lanka Credit and Business Finance contributed 1.4 billion rupees in turnover and was listed as a top gainer. The stock closed 1.30 rupees higher at 7.90 rupees.
The share volume hiked to 439,489,878 from 192,140,048.00 on Thursday.
Nations Trust Bank said the thirty first conversion/reclassification of non-voting convertible shares into voting shares for 4Q 2025 will begin on the last market day of the quarter ending 31st December 2025.
Elsewhere, Indian equity markets continued to end higher. Investor interest remained due to Central Bank easing rules for lending to capital markets and large corporations and “good monsoon predictions and increased festive season demand,” The Times of India said.
The Nifty 50 index rose 0.23 percent to 24,894.25, while the BSE Sensex moved 0.28 percent up to 81,207.17.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s KSE 100 index rose 0.62 percent to 169,541.52.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index reached all time high as “heavyweight technology shares fared well and exporters were bought on a weaker yen after the Bank of Japan governor appeared cautious about interest rate hikes,” Japan’s The Mainichi newspaper said.
The index ended 1.85 stronger at 45,769.50.
As at 3.20 pm Sri Lankan time, spot gold was trading at 3,872.62 US dollars, up 9.09 US dollars. (Colombo/Oct03/2025)
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