Sep 21, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed down 0.05 percent on Monday with low investor activity and losses in index heavy stocks, brokers said.

The Colombo benchmark All Share Price Index closed down 3.50 points at 7,104.37 lower 0.05 percent.

S&P SL20 closed 2.49 points lower at 3,883.22 down 0.06 percent.

Turnover was 667 million rupees, up 529 million rupees Monday with 75 stocks closing positive against 72 negative.

“There is low investor activity due to a lack of policy direction from the government and exchange rate insatiability,” Lanka Securities said.

The main index showed losses in Hemas Holdings closing at 86.00 rupees, down 2.40 rupees and Distilleries Company closing at 275.00 rupees, down 3.50 rupees.

Commercial Bank closed at 165.00 rupees, down 1.00 rupee.

Gains were seen in the poultry sector with Grain Elevators closing at 92.40 rupees after hitting a 52 week high of 92.60 rupees and Three Acre Farms closed at 142.00 rupees, up 6.10 rupees. John Keels Holdings closed at 173.00 rupees, up 0.70 rupees with two off the floor trades amounting to 640,000 shares at 173.00 rupees. Peoples Leasing Company closed at 22.90 rupees, up 0.40 rupees with over 1.9 million shares traded off the floor at 22.80 rupees.