Sri Lanka stocks close higher at 0.3-pct

Apr 21, 2015 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's stocks closed higher, 0.26 per cent with active retail investors trading and banking sector stocks showing gains, brokers said. The Colombo benchmark All Share Price Index closed 18.22 points higher at 7,098.60, up 0.26 per cent. The S&P SL20 closed 05.83 points higher at 4,039.65, up 0.15 per cent. “The market was driven by retail investor activity and last week’s surprise the interest rate cut by the Central bank is still having a positive impact on the market,” Lanka Securities said. Crossings accounted for 34 per cent of the days turn over. Turnover was 683.71 million rupees up from 493.51 billion rupees, Monday with 80 stocks closing positive against 79 negative. Commercial Credit and Finance closed at 52.70 rupees, up 3.00 ruppes with over 3 million shares crossing at 53.00 rupees. In banking stocks, DFCC closed at 215.00 rupees, up 2.90 rupees and National Development Bank closed at 265.00 rupees, up 4.00 rupees. Hatton National Bank closing at 227.00 rupees, up 0.05 rupees and Commercial Bank closed flat at 172.00 rupees. Distilleries closed at 240.10 rupees, up 0.10 rupees with two crossing of 100,000 shares at 240.00 rupees and 210,000 shares 240.50 rupees. Dialog Axiata closed flat at 11.70 rupees for the second consecutive day while John Keells Holdings closed down at 206.70 rupees, down 1.30 rupees. Ceylon Tobacco closed at 1,050.00 rupees, up 36.00 rupees and Lion Breweries closed at 632.59 rupees, up 12.50 rupees.