Sri Lanka stocks close lower 0.05-pct ahead of monetary policy review

Oct 19, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed down on Monday for a fifth consecutive day ahead of the governments monetary policy review, brokers said.

The Colombo benchmark All Share Price Index closed lower 3.39 points at 7,017.35 down 0.05 percent. S&P SL20 closed 9.56 points lower at 3,783.27 lower 0.25 percent.

Turnover was 1.2 billion rupees, up from 525 million on Friday with 67 stocks closing positive against 73 negative.

The main index was dragged down by losses in Cargills Ceylon closing at 162.20 rupees, down 12.80 rupees and Sri Lanka Telecom closing at 47.50 rupees, down 0.80 rupees.

Nations Trust Bank closed at 95.40 rupees, up 0.40 rupees with over 5.5 million shares traded off the floor in two separate crossings at 99.00 rupees.

Peoples Leasing closed at 20.60 rupees, down 0.10 with over 5.3 million shares traded off the floor at 20.40 rupees. Foreign investors were net sellers recording a net outflow of 174.37 million rupees.