The Colombo Stock Exchange in Sri Lanka experienced a decline on Tuesday, influenced by investor uncertainty and rising fixed income rates, according to brokers. The All Share Price Index (ASPI) decreased by 0.25 percent, a drop of 60.20 points, closing at 23,819.21. Meanwhile, the S&P SL20 fell by 0.58 percent, losing 39.22 points to settle at 6,689.49.
Dimantha Matthew, Chief Research and Strategy Officer at First Capital Holdings PLC, commented, “Uncertainty has been bigger than anticipated, with delays in the IMF program causing investors to lose patience.”
Among the positive contributors to the ASPI were CT Holdings at Rs.638.00 and Access Engineering at Rs.76.30. On the other hand, John Keells Holdings at Rs.22.10 and Melstacorp at Rs.182.00 were the top negative contributors.
The market turnover was recorded at 3.69 billion rupees, with capital goods leading the turnover at 967 million rupees. Matthew further noted, “Fixed incomes are also offering higher rates, so there may be a transfer of funds to finance companies.”
Nations Trust Bank Sri Lanka reported a 6 percent decline in profits, amounting to 4.35 billion rupees for the December 2025 quarter. However, the bank’s annual profits rose by 15 percent, reaching 19.3 billion rupees compared to the previous financial year. The bank’s stock closed at Rs.337.00, reflecting a 2.32 percent decrease.
(Colombo/February 23, 2026)
