Market Lens section
Recent Market Lens coverage across themes and sectors.
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Market Pulse | Mar 23, 2026
ASPI finished -1.33% while S&P SL20 closed -1.14%. Breadth ended 40/213/34 (adv/dec/unch), keeping the tape negative rather than broad-based. Turnover totalled LKR 2,371,115,949 with 31.1K trades. The read-through is that index drift did not fully align with participation, pointing to selective conviction. When liquidi
Market Pulse | Mar 20, 2026
ASPI finished +1.85% while S&P SL20 closed +1.86%. Breadth ended 199/52/37 (adv/dec/unch), keeping the tape positive rather than broad-based. Turnover totalled LKR 4,385,683,897 with 28.1K trades. The read-through is that index drift did not fully align with participation, pointing to selective conviction. When liquidi
Market Pulse | Mar 19, 2026
ASPI finished -1.82% while S&P SL20 closed -2.03%. Breadth ended 48/193/42 (adv/dec/unch), keeping the tape negative rather than broad-based. Turnover totalled LKR 3,945,655,311 with 35.3K trades. The read-through is that index drift did not fully align with participation, pointing to selective conviction. When liquidi
Market Pulse | Mar 18, 2026
ASPI finished +1.09% while S&P SL20 closed +0.08%. Breadth ended 186/63/38 (adv/dec/unch), keeping the tape positive rather than broad-based. Turnover totalled LKR 5,271,030,407 with 39K trades. The read-through is that index drift did not fully align with participation, pointing to selective conviction. When liquidity
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Market Pulse | Mar 17, 2026
ASPI finished -2.49% while S&P SL20 closed -1.94%. Breadth ended 36/233/20 (adv/dec/unch), keeping the tape negative rather than broad-based. Turnover totalled LKR 5,029,143,090 with 51.7K trades. The read-through is that index drift did not fully align with participation, pointing to selective conviction. When liquidi

Market report | Mar 16, 2026
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz halted after escalation in the US-Israel-Iran conflict, disrupting one-fifth of global oil trade. Sri Lanka, sourcing nearly all petroleum from Middle Eastern suppliers via this route, saw immediate fuel price hikes in March 2026 despite reported stocks. Reserves stand at $6.82 billion, covering about 3.1 months of essentials, but sustained pressure risks inflation spikes and LKR strain. The outlook hinges on de-escalation timelines and alternative sourcing feasibility.

Energy Markets | Mar 16, 2026
Green ammonia turns renewable hydrogen into a practical shipping fuel that liquefies at far higher temperatures than pure hydrogen. The market reaches USD 676.8 million in revenue this year and grows rapidly toward 2033. EU FuelEU Maritime rules and US tax credits already channel billions into production plants, ports and export corridors.

International Finance | Mar 16, 2026
The US dollar retains 56.92 percent of global reserves per the latest IMF data, yet BRICS+ nations are rolling out BRICS Pay in 2026 and linking CBDCs for direct local-currency settlement. Central banks purchased 863 tonnes of gold in 2025, reinforcing diversification. Emerging-market bond spreads widened modestly in early 2026, creating selective yield opportunities for traders monitoring cross-border flows.

Market Report | Mar 16, 2026
Commercial satellite launches have left more than 36,000 trackable objects in orbit, turning dead hardware into a $0.2 billion cleanup market projected for 2026. Venture capital has poured $384 million into leaders like Astroscale while insurers now demand 5-10 percent of mission budgets for debris coverage. Government deals such as ESA’s €86 million ClearSpace-1 contract provide the first revenue anchors, yet the Kessler Syndrome threat looms with industry-wide costs estimated at up to $42.3 billion over the next decade.

Fintech | Mar 16, 2026
On August 13, 2025, Kikoff launched AI Credit Disputes, automating error corrections for over one million users and disputing 70,000 items in its pilot phase alone. These fintech solutions leverage federal rules to challenge inaccuracies reported by Experian and Equifax. The article explains the technology, legal rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and legitimate credit-building alternatives. Regulators continue to monitor compliance after Equifax’s $15 million penalty.

Market Report | Mar 16, 2026
Freshwater scarcity has entered a phase the UN calls global water bankruptcy, with four billion people facing severe shortages for at least one month annually and drought costing $307 billion yearly. Private capital has responded, with infrastructure funds deploying roughly $1.3 billion each in recent cycles while major firms like Blackstone and Brookfield have built multi-billion-dollar water portfolios. This comparison brief examines agricultural water trading platforms, desalination infrastructure plays, and privatized utilities side by side, weighing liquidity, capital needs, returns potential, and ethical trade-offs without recommending specific allocations.

Market Report | Mar 16, 2026
Global trade realignment since 2018 has seen China lose 7.7 percentage points of US import share, with Vietnam gaining 2.1 points. This friend-shoring trend drives demand for modern industrial parks, logistics assets, and port upgrades. In this Q&A, an expert outlines practical exposure via ETFs, multilateral financing routes, and currency hedging tools. Investors gain targeted insights without broad speculation.