Colombo bourse closed the trading on Thursday on an upbeat note, recoding gains for the third consecutive trading session. ASI index gained 61.91 index points or +1.01% to close at 6,180.76, simultaneously 20 scrip S&P SL index gained 26.54 index points or 0.79% to close at 3,395.47. Price appreciations in Ceylon Tobacco (closed at LKR 1,099.90, +4.8%), Distilleries (closed at LKR 210.00, +2.4%), Commercial Leasing and Finance (closed at LKR 4.10, +5.1%) and AIA Insurance (closed at LKR 320.00, +14.3%) contributed positively to the index performances.

Daily market turnover reached LKR 664mn with the support of single crossing recorded in Seylan Bank non-voting (5mn shares at LKR 37.50). Accordingly Seylan Bank non-voting topped the turnover list with LKR 203mn, followed by Commercial Bank (LKR 53mn) and Commercial Bank non-voting (LKR 48mn). Crossing accounted for 28% of the total market turnover.

Meanwhile Madulsima Plantation, Sampath Bank & Laugfs Gas non-voting attracted heavy investor participation during the session.

Gainers outweighed the losers, 178 to 47, while 36 equities remained unchanged. Cash map improved to 79% from 64%. 15 stocks managed to reach 52wk high prices and 4 stocks touched the 52wk low price levels.

Foreign investors were net buyers with net inflow of LKR 4mn. Foreign participation was 15% of the market activity. Foreign inflows were seen in counters such as Commercial Bank non-voting (LKR 17mn), John Keells Holdings (LKR 13mn) and Commercial Bank (LKR 8mn) while outflow was mainly seen in Aitken Spence (LKR 32mn).

Lanka Securities Research