The Colombo Stock Exchange saw an easing of foreign investor pressure on Monday (9), with net outflows narrowing sharply by 38.7% to Rs. 1.41 billion, compared to Rs. 2.30 billion on Friday (6).

This contraction was driven by a 34.1% drop in foreign selling, which fell to Rs. 1.65 billion, coupled with a 16.6% increase in foreign buying to Rs. 246 million. Friday's net outflow of Rs. 2.3 billion was driven by Rs. 2.5 billion in foreign selling and low foreign buying of Rs. 211 million.

While top foreign sellers KZOO.N and NDB.N were subject to concentrated selling on Friday, amounting to Rs. 1,367 million and Rs. 744 million respectively, selling was more diversified at lower values on Monday, with TKYO.X selling Rs. 807 million.

On Monday the All Share Price Index (ASPI) inched down 0.20% to 23,754.26, while the S&P SL 20 index saw a marginal dip of 0.09% to 6,608.68. The market’s Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio held steady at 11.27.

Even as total public market turnover declined, high-value off-exchange ‘crossing’ transactions, particularly in financial stocks like CIC.N and LMF.N, were observed.

Notably, Combined Motors (COMB.N) and Melstacorp (MELS.N) provided the largest lifts to the index, while John Keells Holdings (JKH.N) saw the most significant downward pressure.

In other developments, investor attention has turned to dividend declarations, with Overseas National (ONAL.N) and Lanka Finance (LFIN.N) announcing interim and final dividends. Trading patterns are anticipated to be influenced in the coming sessions as their ex-dividend dates are set for next week.