Sri Lanka stocks flat, bond yields higher

Mar 05, 2012 (LBO) - Sri Lanka stocks closed flat Monday with off-market deals in large cap firms helping turnover with market market participants still to be fully comfortable with a new trading system while bonds yields edged up, brokers said.



In forex markets the rupee opened at 121.50 and weakened to 122.10/20 in late morning trade before recovering to 121.90/95 levels in afternoon trade, dealers said.

In government securities markets a bond maturing on March 2014 was quoted around 11.

30/40 percent from 11.10/20 percent levels Thursday and late 2015 bonds were quoted around 11.





60/80 percent up from 11.50/70 levels.

The benchmark Colombo All Share index closed at 5,464.

81 up 4.62 points or 0.08 perdent and the Milanka Index of liquid stocks rose 29.

23 points (0.62 percent) to 4,774.42.

Turnover was 1,036 million rupees.

Brokers said off-market deals or crossings of Aitken Spence (2.6 million shares at 115 rupees), John Keells Holdings (323,000 at 181.00 and 181.10 rupees0 and Sathosa Motors (a millions shares at 235) helped boost turnover.

Brokers said they were still not comfortable with a new trading system to execute large numbers of retail trades.

Central Finance closed down 3.20 at 170.10 rupees, Commercial Bank closed flat at 100, Hatton National Bank 153.

50 rupees up 6.10.

Dialog Axiata closed at 7.10 rupees up 10 cents, Distilleries closed at 141.0 up 2.70 rupees.