Sri Lanka stocks close up 0.8-pct; More retail activity

Sep 09, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed up 0.83 percent on Wednesday with index heavy and banking sector stocks showing gains, brokers said. The Colombo benchmark All Share Price Index closed up 58.79 points at 7,183.76 higher 0.83 percent. S&P SL20 closed 22.94 points lower at 3,937.55 up 0.59 percent. Turnover was 647 million rupees, up from 430 million rupees, Tuesday with 138 stocks closing positive against 24 negative. “Investor sentiment seems to have changed and we saw more retail activity,” Lanka Securities said. The main index showed gains in Dialog Axita closing at 11.50 rupees up 0.40 rupees and Ceylon Tobacco closed at 977.80 rupees, up 7.80 rupees. Banking stocks showed gains with Commercial Bank closing at 167.30 rupees, up 1.40 rupees and DFCC Bank closed up at 186.90 rupees, up 1.70 rupees. Top contributor to turnover was Hemas Holdings closing at 88.20 rupees, up 0.20 rupees 2.1 million shares traded with one off the floor trade of 1.3 million shares at 88.00 rupees. John Keells Holdings closed flat at 175.20 rupees while the JKH warrant 22 closed at 12.30 rupees, up 0.80 rupees.