Trading Information
Essentials to Guide Your Market ParticipationCDS Account
If you wish to conduct share transactions through the Colombo Stock Exchange you should open a Securities Account in the CDS through a Participant organization (a stockbroker or a custodian bank). Your CDS accounts should be operated through your Participant organization, and any changes to your account will have to be forwarded through the Participant.
Opening a CDS Account
- Opening of Client Accounts – Non-Resident Individuals
- Opening of Client Accounts – Non-Resident Body Corporates
- Opening of Client Accounts – Non-Resident Collective Investment Schemes
Trading Sessions
Sri Lanka Standard Time (GMT+5:30
Market phase Open auction call: 09.30 am
Market phase Regular trading: 09.30 am - 02.30 pm
Market close: 02.30 pm
Market Halt
The Three-Tiered Circuit Breaker Structure stated below will apply to all listed securities in the event the S&P SL20 index drops.
- First Circuit Breaker – After commencement of trading of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) for the day, a Market Halt to be imposed for 30 minutes in the event the S&P SL20 index drops by 5%.
- Second Circuit Breaker – Having re-commenced trading after the cooling off period of 30 minutes following the S&P SL20 drop of 5%, if the S&P SL20 index drops again by another 2.5%, a Market Halt to be imposed for another 30 minutes.
- Third Circuit Breaker - Upon re-commencing trading subsequent to cooling off period of 30 minutes following the S&P SL20 drop of 2.5% (altogether S&P SL20 has dropped by 7.5%) if the S&P SL20 index drops by a further 2.5% (S&P SL20 index has fallen altogether by 10% for the day), trading will be halted and the market shall be closed for the day.
Further details on trading sessions: https://www.cse.lk/home/tradingSessions
Transaction Costs
Transactions up to Rs. 100 million will be subject to a transaction cost of 1.12%. Transaction costs for transactions over Rs. 100 million will be applied on a step-up basis. The percentage applicable for the portion exceeding Rs. 100 million will include an addition of:
- Brokerage fee (minimum brokerage floor: 0.200%)
- CSE Fees (0.0525%)
- CDS Fees (0.0150%)
- SEC Cess (0.0450%)
- Share Transaction Levy (0.300%)
Example: Consider a transaction of Rs. 102 million. For the first Rs. 100 million, a transaction cost of 1.12% will be applied. For the remaining Rs. 2 million, a reduced rate of 0.6125%* will be applied.
| Transaction Value | Applicable Fee | Fee Amount (Rs.) |
|---|---|---|
| Rs. 100 Million | 1.1200% | Rs. 1,120,000 |
| Rs. 2 Million | 0.6125%* | Rs. 12,250 |
| Rs. 102 Million | - | Rs. 1,132,250 |
*Note: 0.6125% includes the negotiated brokerage fee, assumed to be 0.2% for the purpose of this calculation.
Important links
- Stockbrokers
- Custodiam Banks
- Unit Trust Companies
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