The Colombo Stock Exchange in Sri Lanka experienced a decline on Tuesday, failing to sustain the momentum gained on Monday, primarily due to the influence of banking stocks on turnover.
The All Share Price Index decreased by 0.07 percent, equivalent to 17.29 points, closing at 23,882. Meanwhile, the S&P SL20 saw a slight decline of 0.02 percent, or 1.62 points, ending at 6,708.
Dimantha Matthew, Chief Research and Strategy Officer at First Capital Holdings PLC, commented, “After an uptick, profit-taking in banks has impacted the index.”
C T Holdings, with a share price of Rs. 634.25, and Pan Asia Banking Corporation, at Rs. 59.50, were the leading negative contributors to the ASPI. On the other hand, Access Engineering, priced at Rs. 74.80, made the most significant positive contribution.
The market turnover reached 4.2 billion rupees, with capital goods contributing 950 million rupees to this total. Dimantha noted, “Investor interest was observed in real estate and construction, with construction seeing block trades through crossings.”
He added, “Interest in John Keells Holdings has been inconsistent, with investor interest present, yet the counter remains stagnant.”
Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC released its December 2025 quarterly financial report, revealing a profit of 981 million rupees, marking a 49 percent decline from December 2024. The bank also approved a first and final cash dividend of Rs. 1 per share.
In contrast, Lakehouse Printers and Publishers reported a significant loss of 842 million rupees, a decrease of 121.9 percent compared to the 3.8 million rupee profit recorded in December 2024.
(Colombo/February 17, 2026)
