Sri Lanka stocks close up at 0.3-pct

May 15, 2015 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's stocks closed up at 0.30 percent with finance sector and some index heavy stocks trading actively, brokers said. The Colombo benchmark All Share Price Index closed21.80 points higher at 7,258.67 up 0.30 percent. The S&P SL20 closed 6.54 points higher at 4,050.14 up 0.16 percent. Turnover was 1.08 billion rupees down from 5.2 billion rupees on Thursday, with 88 stocks closing positive against 77 negative. Lanka Securities said, profit taking by some investors was seen following the release of earrings reports in banking sector stocks. “Six crossings were recorded during the day’s trading mainly in the banking sector.” Top contributor was Carson Cumberbatch closing at 412.00 rupees, up 12.00 rupees and Ceylinco Insurance closing at 1,699.00 rupees, up 99.90 rupees. Yesterday, over 2.1 million shares of Ceylinco Insurance traded at 1,602.00 rupees per share with over 3.5 billion rupees added to the turnover. In the banking sector Hatton National Bank closed at 232.00 rupees, down 2.60 rupees with one crossing of over 179,000 shares recorded at 232.00 rupees. Commercial Bank closed at 169.70 rupees, down 0.30 rupees with two crossing of over 171,000 and 318,000 shares recorded at 171.00 rupees.. DFCC closed at 218.50 rupees, up 0.20 rupees and National Development Bank closed at 266.10 rupees, down 3.90 rupees. Distilleries Company closed at 285.00 rupees, up 1.60 rupees with a crossing of 102,000 shares at 290.00 rupees. Commercial Credit Finance closed at 65.90 rupees, up 3.30 rupees and Lanka Orix Finance closing at 4.40 rupees, up 0.20 rupees. John Keells Holdings closed flat at 200.00 rupees with a crossing of over 404,000 shares recorded at 200.00 rupees.