Sri Lanka stocks close up 0.8-pct

July 22, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s stocks closed up 0.76 percent on Wednesday with index heavy stocks showing gains, brokers said. The Colombo benchmark All Share Price Index closed 54.04 points higher at 7,199.63 up 0.76 percent. The S&P SL20 closed 42.86 points higher at 4,037.83 up 1.07 percent. Turnover was 1.62 billion rupees, up from 334.8 million rupees Tuesday with 116 stocks closing positive against 40 negative. The main index showed gains in John Keels Holdings closing at 188.80 rupees, up 3.80 rupees and Distilleries Company closed at 280.00 rupees, up 9.50 rupees. In banking stocks, Commercial bank closed at 168.10 rupees, up 1.10 rupees with four off the floor trades of 1.8 million shares at 168.00 rupees. Sampath Bank closed at 261.00 rupees, up 1.70 rupees and DFCC closed at 198.00 rupees, up 1.20 rupees.