Creepfest 26′ is set to return to Colombo this Halloween, bringing a new edition of the youth-led celebration that has brought together music enthusiasts and Halloween fans. Building on its previous edition, this year’s event will feature an expanded programme of entertainment and themed activities, with a focus on engaging young audiences while supporting a charitable cause.

Jointly organised by the Rotaract Clubs of American National College, Cinnamon Gardens and Royal Institute of Colombo, in collaboration with the Interact Clubs of Colombo North and Mahanama College, Creepfest 26′ reflects the collective efforts of young people seeking to create engaging experiences while contributing positively to society.

As part of this commitment, the organisers have placed fundraising for Apeksha Cancer Hospital, Maharagama, at the centre of this year’s event. Funds raised through Creepfest 26′ will be directed towards the hospital following its conclusion, demonstrating how youth-led entertainment initiatives can also serve a wider social purpose.

The event will feature performances by four prominent DJs, Vehan, Vortex, Uveen and Shenal, forming a key part of the evening’s entertainment programme. With an expected attendance of 750 to 1,000 participants, Creepfest 26′ aims to bring together young audiences from across Colombo through a shared interest in music and Halloween celebrations.

Alongside the musical performances, the programme will include Halloween-themed activities, creative costumes, interactive games and food, offering attendees an opportunity to experience different aspects of the celebration. These activities are being coordinated through the combined efforts of the organising clubs and their supporting partners.

Supporting the event are Red Bull, HardTalk, Fox FM, Graffon, Chadwin.exe, The Comms Outlet, Heladiv and Fabbies. Their involvement will contribute towards delivering the event’s entertainment programme while supporting the organisers’ broader objective of combining youth engagement with community-focused fundraising.

Creepfest 26′ will take place on Friday, 30 October 2026, from 6.00 p.m. onwards at Arcade Independence Square, Colombo. Tickets are available through the official event website at https://creepfest.gpass.lk. This year’s celebration will bring the spirit of Halloween to Colombo while providing an opportunity for young people to contribute towards the work of Apeksha Cancer Hospital.

By Hiran H. Senewiratne

The ÇSE continued yesterday on its dull, volatile track due to external market uncertainty along with crude oil price increases compounded by internal negative factors, market analysts said.

The All Share Price Index went down by 71.67 points, while the S and P SL20 declined by 13.98 points.

Turnover stood at Rs 795 million with four crossings. Those crossings were; Sampath Bank 1 million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 138 million; its shares traded at Rs 138, Melstacorp 323,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 58 million; its shares sold at Rs 178, CAL3 Fund 500 million shares crossed for Rs 54 million; its shares traded at Rs 10.70 and Access Engineering 500,000 shares crossed for Rs 45 million; its shares sold at Rs 75.

In the retail market, companies that mainly contributed to the turnover were; Dialog Axiata Rs 37 million (868,,000 shares traded), HNB (Non-Voting) Ra 32 million (102000 shares traded) LOLC Rs 24 million (51000 shares traded), NTB Rs 24 million (82000 shares traded), Prime Lands Residencies Rs 19 million (562,000 shares traded), Sampath Bank Rs17 million and Cargills Rs 16 million (23000 shares traded). During the day 26 million shares volumes changed hands in 10954 transactions.

It is said said that banking sector counters, especially Sampath Bank and HNB, performed well. Further telecom sector counters, especially Dialog, also performed well. The Real estate sector also performed well, especially Prime Lands.

Meanwhile, Access Engineering said shareholders have agreed not to proceed with the South Asia Commercial and Logistics Hub project and will enter into a settlement agreement for its orderly termination. Under the planned settlement arrangements, the company anticipates recovering approximately Rs 1.453 billion from its total investment of roughly Rs 1.762 billion.

Yesterday the rupee was quoted at Rs 331.75/90 to the US dollar in the spot market, weaker from Rs 331.60/70 the previous day, while bond yields were quoted higher, dealers said.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) successfully hosted a series of high-level meetings of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), bringing together leading securities regulators and enforcement officials from around the world to discuss emerging regulatory challenges, strengthen international cooperation, and enhance collective efforts to combat cross-border securities market misconduct.

The meetings, held at the Hilton Colombo from 13 to 16 October 2026, included sessions of the IOSCO Enforcement and Cooperation Committee and its Screening Group (Committee 4/SG), as well as meetings of the Monitoring Group and the Steering Committee. The event attracted approximately 50 senior representatives from securities regulators and exchanges across several jurisdictions, including Australia, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada, New Zealand, India, Germany, Belgium, Singapore, China and Spain, reflecting the global significance of the discussions and the growing importance of international regulatory collaboration.

Welcoming delegates to Sri Lanka, Senior Professor D.B.P.H. Dissabandara, Chairman of the SEC, emphasized the critical role of international cooperation in safeguarding market integrity and investor confidence in an increasingly interconnected financial landscape.

“No regulator can effectively address cross-border misconduct in isolation. The speed with which information, transactions and illicit activities can move across borders requires an equally coordinated and timely regulatory response. Strong international cooperation, effective information sharing and mutual trust among regulators are essential to maintaining fair, transparent and resilient capital markets,” he stated.

The discussions focused on a range of enforcement and cooperation matters, including mechanisms for enhancing cross-border information exchange, strengthening investigative collaboration among regulators, addressing increasingly sophisticated forms of securities fraud and market abuse, and promoting the effective implementation of international standards and best practices. Participants also exchanged experiences and insights on emerging enforcement challenges arising from technological developments, digitalization of financial services, and increasingly interconnected global markets.

IOSCO is recognized as the leading international body that brings together the world’s securities regulators and serves as the global standard setter for securities regulation. Through its policy work and cooperative initiatives, IOSCO plays a central role in promoting investor protection, ensuring that markets are fair, efficient and transparent, reducing systemic risk, and strengthening confidence in capital markets worldwide.

Sri Lanka has maintained a strong and active relationship with IOSCO for more than three decades. The SEC became an Ordinary Member of IOSCO in 1993 and has been a signatory to the IOSCO Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MMoU) since 2004. The MMoU is the internationally recognised benchmark for cooperation and information sharing among securities regulators and serves as a critical tool in facilitating cross-border investigations and enforcement actions.