Senthilverl Holdings has increased its stake in Colombo Dockyard to 12.20 percent of the issued share capital, according to a stock exchange filing.

4,263,567 shares were bought at prices between Rs 149.25 and Rs 155.25 a share on January 30.

“Apart from the transaction disclosed above 9,876,264 shares were also purchased via other licensed stockbrokers, CSE sources said.

The total issued shares of the company is 395,224,082.

Meanwhile, CSE activities were extremely positive yesterday because of high retail and institutional investor participation.

Both indices moved upwards. The All Share Price Index went up 83.12 points while S and P SL20 was up by 9.75 points. Turnover stood at Rs 8.24 billion with 12 crossings.

The top seven crossings were reported in Commercial Bank, where 14.6 million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 3.2 billion and its shares traded at Rs 224.50, TJ Lanka 11.3 million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 406.7 million; its shares traded at Rs 36, Cargills Ceylon 100,000 shares crossed for Rs 80 million; its shares sold at Rs 800, LOLC Holdings 100,000 shares crossed for Rs 60.05 million; its shares sold at Rs 605, Hayleys 250,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 59.8 million; its shares traded at Rs 239,Tokyo Cement 500,000 shares crossed for Rs 56 million; its shares traded at Rs 112 and Colombo Dockyard 300,000 shares crossed for Rs 45.6 million; its shares traded at Rs 152.

In the retail market top seven companies that mainly contributed to the turnover were; Colombo Dockyard Rs 359.6 million (2.36 million shares traded), Hayleys Rs 344 million (1.4 million shares traded), Ceylon Land Equity Rs 321.50 million (19.97 million shares traded), CTC Rs 210 million (121900 shares traded), TJ Lanka Rs 134.90 million (3.7 million shares traded), Prime Lands Residencies Rs 97.1 million (2 million shares traded) and Sampath Bank Rs 91.8 million (594,000 shares traded). During the day 276.9 million share volumes changed hands in 39535 transactions.

It is said that banking sector counters, especially Commercial Bank, performed well while the manufacturing sector, especially Colombo Dockyard, also performed well. Further, the real estate sector also performed well, especially Prime Lands Residencies.

Yesterday the rupee was quoted at Rs 309.50/55 to the US dollar in the spot market, from Rs 309.55/65 the previous day, while bond yields opened lower, dealers said.

An auction of Rs 120,000 million Treasury bills was ongoing.

A bond maturing on 15.03.2028 was quoted at 9.00/05 percent, down from 9.03/05 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.06.2029 was quoted at 9.49/50 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.09.2029 was quoted at 9.55/58 percent, down from 9.57/60 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.10.2029 was quoted at 9.57/60 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.12.2029 was quoted at 9.60/62 percent, down from 9.58/63 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.03.2030 was quoted at 9.68/70 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.03.2031 was quoted at 9.90/95 percent, down from 9.92/95 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.10.2032 was quoted at 10.25/29 percent, down from 10.28/32 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.12.2032 was quoted at 10.28/30 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.06.2033 was quoted at 10.60/62 percent, down from 10.63/68 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.06.2034 was quoted at 10.81/84 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.06.2035 was quoted flat at 10.85/95 percent.

By Hiran H Senewiratne

Sri Lanka’s economic strategy continues to focus on exports, productivity and fiscal consolidation.

Yet one of the country’s most valuable assets — its forests and traditional forest-based farming systems — remains largely absent from economic planning. This is no longer an environmental oversight. It is a business risk.

At a recent Dilmah Genesis Thought Leadership Series lecture in Colombo, tropical ecology expert Professor Friedhelm Goeltenboth delivered a clear message: once forests are destroyed, the economic value they provide is lost permanently.

What replaces them — monoculture plantations — may appear efficient, but over time they generate declining yields, rising input costs and growing exposure to climate shocks.

From a financial perspective, this is asset depletion, not development.

Monoculture systems simplify production but externalise costs. Soil erosion, fertiliser dependency, water stress and biodiversity loss eventually hit farmers, banks, insurers and the state.

Sri Lanka is already seeing the consequences through falling productivity and rising agricultural vulnerability.

Forest-integrated farming offers a different model — one that treats land as a multi-income asset.

Spices such as cinnamon, pepper, cardamom and nutmeg can be grown under shade alongside fruit, timber and fibre crops, stabilising income while protecting soil and water. For lenders and insurers, diversified systems reduce risk. For exporters, they support traceability, sustainability certification and premium pricing.

The strongest business opportunity lies in carbon markets. Voluntary carbon markets allow companies to offset emissions by funding verified forest conservation and restoration.

Across Southeast Asia, communities now earn income simply by protecting forests that store carbon.

Sri Lanka has the scientific capacity to enter this space. Farmers can collect data; experts can certify it. What is missing is a coordinated national framework that allows communities and corporates to participate efficiently.

Carbon revenue will not replace agriculture, but it can stabilise it — providing income during crop maturation and creating a new form of export: environmental services.

Ignoring this opportunity carries downside risk.

Biodiversity loss, pollinator decline and climate volatility threaten long-term agricultural productivity. Forests are not sentimental assets; they are economic infrastructure.

Sri Lanka’s recovery cannot be built on short-term extraction. If the country wants resilient growth, it must start recognising the real value of what is still standing, he added.

By Ifham Nizam

Sri Lanka batting coach Vikram Rathour has hailed middle-order batter Pavan Rathnayake as one of the finest players of spin in the modern game, saying the youngster’s nimble footwork and velvet touch were a “breath of fresh air” for a side long troubled by the turning ball.

Drafted in for the second T20I after Sri Lanka’s familiar struggles against spin, Rathnayake looked anything but overawed by England’s seasoned tweakers, skipping down the track with sure feet and working the ball into gaps with soft hands.

“He is one of the better players when it comes to using the feet,” Rathour told reporters. “I haven’t seen too many in this generation do it as well as he does. That is really impressive and a good sign for Sri Lankan cricket.”

Sri Lanka went down in a last-over nail-biter but there were silver linings despite the hosts being a bowler short. Eshan Malinga was forced out after dislocating his left shoulder and has been ruled out for at least four weeks, a blow that ends his World Cup hopes. Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan and Nuwan Thushara have been placed on standby.

Power hitting remains Sri Lanka’s Achilles’ heel and Rathour, who carries an impressive CV from India’s T20 World Cup triumph two years ago, pointed to a few grey areas in the batting blueprint.

“There are two components to T20 batting,” he said. “One is power hitting, but the surfaces here, especially in Colombo, are not that conducive to clearing the ropes. The wickets are slow and the ball doesn’t come on to the bat. The other component, just as important, is range as a batting unit.”

Even when Sri Lanka lifted the T20 World Cup in 2014 they were not blessed with a dressing room full of big hitters, relying instead on sharp running, clever placement and a mastery of spin. Rathour preached a similar mantra.

“If you are not a team that hits a lot of sixes, you can still find plenty of fours by utilising the whole ground,” he said. “Most of them sweep well, reverse sweep and use their feet. That is encouraging. If you don’t have the brute power, you can make up for it by using angles and scoring square of the wicket.

“These wickets perhaps suit that style more. They are not the easiest surfaces to hit sixes, and I’m okay with that. If they can use their feet and the angles well, that is as good.”

Rex Clementine
at Pallekele