Singapore investors and companies are being wooed by Sri Lanka, which is keen to attract more investment into the region.

Some 200 investors here, including institutional investors and investment banks, attended an investor forum hosted by the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka-listed companies at the event, which was held at the Ritz Carlton, Millenia Singapore. included conglomerate John Keells Holdings and National Development Bank.

The forum was also attended by the country's central bank governor, Mr Ajith Nivard Cabraal, and its senior minister for international monetary co-operation, Dr Sarath Amunugama.

At the event, SEC chairman Nalaka Godahewa told participants that the SEC "was able to bring about stability in the CSE and the market has now entered a phase of steady growth".

Sri Lankan regulators chose to hold the investor forum in Singapore as it is "a gateway to the rest of South-east Asia", Dr Godahewa said.

Mr Krishan Balendra, chairman of the CSE, added: "We have maintained close ties with Singapore, and these ties are further strengthened through the Singapore-Sri Lanka Business Council."

This is the third time the Sri Lanka investor forum is being held in Singapore. The last time was in 2011.