Sri Lanka stocks close down 0.6-pct; JKH lower

July 08, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s stocks closed down 0.63 percent on Wednesday, a third consecutive day of declines, with index heavy stocks showing losses, brokers said. The Colombo benchmark All Share Price Index closed 43.99 points lower at 6,923.79 down 0.63 percent. The S&P SL20 closed 41.16 points lower at 3,850.37 lower at 1.06 percent. Turnover was 520 million rupees, down from 714 million rupees Tuesday with 48 stocks closing positive against 86 negative. “Political uncertainty in the country is keeping investors away,” Lanka Securities said. The main index showed losses in John Keells Holding closing at 175.30 rupees, down 4.80 rupees and Sri Lanka Telecom closed at 43.30 rupees, down 1.30 rupees. Hatton National Bank closed down at 203.10 rupees, down 4.80 rupees. In other banking stocks, Sampath Bank closed at 256.40 rupees, up 0.30 rupees and Commercial Bank closed at 160.80 rupees, down 0.90 rupees. DFCC closed at 190.10 rupees, up 0.10 rupees and Seylan Bank closed at 99.90 rupees with one off the floor trade of over 500,000 shares. Dialog closed at 10.20 rupees, down 0.10 rupees.