COLOMBO STOCK EXCHANGE

Share trading in Sri Lanka commenced in the 19th century, when British Planters needed funds to set up Tea Plantations in Sri Lanka. The Colombo Share Brokers Association commenced trading of shares in limited liability companies in 1896, involved in setting up plantations in the country.

The Colombo Share Market continued operations for almost a century, experiencing several vicissitudes due to political and economic factors during the period. A landmark event in the history of share trading in Sri Lanka was the formalization of the market with the establishment of the “Colombo Securities Exchange (GTE) Limited” in 1985, which took over the operations of stock market from the Colombo Share Brokers’ Association. It was renamed ´Colombo Stock Exchange´ (CSE) in 1990.

The CSE is a company limited by guarantee, established under the Companies Act No. 17 of 1982 and is licensed by the Securities & Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC). The CSE is a mutual exchange and has 15 full members, 6 Trading Members licensed to trade both equity and debt securities. All members are licensed by the SEC to operate as stockbrokers. All members are corporate entities and some are subsidiaries of large financial institutions.

Go to the webpage of CSE www.cse.lk