Colombo Bourse continued the lackluster trading activity on Thursday and closed with mixed returns amid the low investor interest due to lack of clarity in policy directions.
Benchmark index declined to 7,072 mark during the session but closed higher at 7,085.65 with a marginal increase of 0.20 index points or 0.00%. S&P SL index shed 3.09 index points (-0.08%) to end at 3,818.60.
All share price index performance was lifted by price increases in high caps such as John Keells Holdings (closed at LKR 172.80, +1.1%), Cargills (Ceylon) (closed at LKR 178.00, +1.7%) and Seylan Bank (closed at LKR 103.00, +3.0%).
Daily market turnover was LKR 850mn. Renuka Agri Foods contributed 15% of the total turnover with LKR 135mn underpinned by two crossings of 29mn shares at LKR 4.50. Ceylon Grain Elevators (LKR 79mn), Hayleys Export (LKR 73mn) and Swisstek (Ceylon) (LKR 69mn) were next contributors to total turnover.
Market breadth was positive where out of 254 counters, 121 advanced, 81 declined while 52 remained unchanged. Cash map advanced from 38% to 61%. 9 counters managed to reach 52wk high prices while 22 counters touched 52wk low price levels.
Script of Hayleys Fibre was the most favored counter where stock advanced to a 52wk high price of LKR 69.70 (+47.4%) but closed lower at LKR 68.50 (+45.1%). Meanwhile poultry counters continued to gather high investor preference and all three counters stepped to fresh 52wk high prices. Ceylon Grain Elevators increased to LKR 104.10 but closed below at LKR 103.90 (+5.9%) and Three Acre Farms closed at LKR 156.00 (+5.9%). Bairaha Farms increased to LKR 226.60 and end at LKR 226.10 (+6.6%).
Further, heavy investor interest was witnessed in stocks such as Swisstek (Ceylon), CIC Holdings non-voting and Lanka Hospitals.
Following the dividend announcement of Ceylon Cold Stores and Keells Food Products, the counters advanced to LKR 402.00 (+0.5%) and LKR 181.00 (+5.4%) respectively. Moreover, both DFCC Bank and National Development Bank declined to new 52wk low price levels of LKR 175.00 and LKR 219.00 respectively.
Foreign investors closed the session on selling side with a net foreign outflow of LKR 22mn. Foreign participation was 21%. Net foreign outflow were seen in Commercial Bank (LKR 27mn), Swisstek (Ceylon) (LKR 11mn) and Three Acre Farms (LKR 8mn) while net foreign inflow was mainly seen in John Keells Holdings (LKR 10mn).
Sri Lanka Stock down
4/
5
Oleh
Lanka Stocks
