Stock market activities were positive yesterday, mainly driven by manufacturing sector counters, especially Sierra Cables, Royal Ceramics and ACL Cables. Further, there was some investor confidence in construction sector counters as well.

Amid those developments both indices moved upwards. The All Share Price Index went up by 150.54 points, while the S and P SL20 rose by 41.5 points. Turnover stood at Rs 4.65 billion with six crossings.

Those crossings were reported in Royal Ceramics which crossed 3.8 million shares to the tune of Rs 174.3 million; its share s traded at Rs 45.20, VallibelOne 1.4 million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 138.6 million; its shares traded at Rs 99, Melstacorp 500,000 shares crossed for Rs 87.24 million; its shares traded at Rs 174.50, Sierra Cables two million shares crossed for Rs 68.2 million, its shares sold at Rs 34.30, Kingsbury 1.5 million shares crossed for Rs 31.8 million; its shares traded at Rs 21.20.

In the retail market companies that mainly contributed to the turnover were; Sierra Cables Rs 418 million (20 million shares traded), Royal Ceramics Rs 363 million (eight million shares traded), Colombo Dockyards Rs 323 million (1.7 million shares traded), ACL Rs 311 million (3.5 million shares traded), Renuka Agri Rs 149 million (12.3 million shares traded), Sampath Bank Rs 94.7 million (648,000 shares traded) and Bogala Graphite Rs 86.4 million (529,000 shares traded). During the day 122.8 million shares volumes changed hands in 34453 transactions.

Yesterday the rupee opened at Rs 310.00/25 to the US dollar in the spot market, weaker from Rs 310.00/310.20 the previous day, dealers said, while bond yields were broadly steady.

By Hiran H Senewiratne

Atlas, Sri Lanka’s leading learning brand, reaffirmed its purpose of making learning fun and enjoyable through the Atlas All-Island Art Competition 2025, which concluded with a gifting ceremony held recently at Arcade Independence Square under the theme ‘Atlas paata lowak dinana hetak’. Students from Preschool to Grade 11 showcased their talents across five categories, with all island winners receiving cash prizes, certificates, and gift packs. Additionally, merit winners in each category were also recognized. The event brought together students, parents, and educators, highlighting Sri Lanka’s cultural diversity, nurturing young talent, and reinforcing Atlas’s long-standing commitment to education, creativity, and building confidence among schoolchildren. The event concluded with the ‘Atlas Art Carnival’, which brought children and parents together through games and creative art activities in a fun and lively atmosphere.

CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd., the master developer of Port City Colombo, reaffirms its commitment to attracting Foreign Direct Investments into Sri Lanka, and delivering further infrastructure milestones, as the project enters a new era of commercial operations and vertical development.

“Since its commencement in 2014, Port City Colombo’s strategic vision has always been centred on the betterment of the Sri Lankan community and the advancement of the country’s economy,” said Xiong Hongfeng, Managing Director, CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd. “The sheer scale and magnitude of this 269-hectare strategic venture reflects our confidence in Sri Lanka’s potential to become a formidable regional player in South Asia, whilst building a future that all Sri Lankans could aspire to.”

Being a project of national and regional significance, Port City Colombo has showcased remarkable resilience and endurance throughout several challenging circumstances. Since its inception 11 years ago, Port City Colombo has witnessed fluctuating environmental conditions from political transitions and the impact of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, to the unprecedented global disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 economic crisis. Despite these headwinds, the project has remained firmly on course with the strategic aim of becoming a transformative world-class investment destination in South Asia.

Further, as a subsidiary of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), which has delivered landmark construction projects in Sri Lanka since 1998, the master developer remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting the nation’s long-term economic development.

Since the completion of land reclamation in 2019, Port City Colombo has marked several significant milestones that reinforce the project’s positive outlook as a competitive regional investment hotspot. This includes the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act in 2021, which was duly passed with bipartisan support by the Parliament of Sri Lanka. The Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act established the Colombo Port City Special Economic Zone, a progressive regulatory environment that enhances the ease of doing business for international investors in Sri Lanka. This has fostered the development of a vibrant business ecosystem that now encompasses 146 registered enterprises that are dedicated to modern service exports.

On 17th October 2025, marking a key infrastructure milestone, Port City Colombo formally announced the successful commissioning of public utility connections to Colombo’s main city grid, including water, electricity, and sewage systems. This development represents a critical step in the project’s transition into full-scale commercial operations, underscoring its readiness to support large-scale business activity and vertical development.

The Mall at Port City Colombo, South Asia’s pioneering downtown duty-free retail offering, was formally inaugurated in September 2024, reinforcing Colombo’s positioning as a premier regional shopping and leisure destination.

The Business Centre at Port City Colombo, a premier IT and business park, officially broke ground in March 2024 and commenced the tenant handover of office space from end of May 2025.

The Luxury Marina Development, representing a USD 120 million investment by Browns Investment PLC — the strategic investment arm of the LOLC group, officially broke ground on 10th January 2025. The Marina Development will feature premium lifestyle and retail offerings and berthing space for 200 small to mid-sized yachting vessels, with a planned completion timeline of 3 years.