Sri Lankan shares closed higher for the ninth successive session on Friday, led by materials and communication services stocks.
* The CSE All-Share index CSELK:ASI settled 0.36% higher at 21,598.99.
* The index closed at a record high for the sixth straight session, and logged its highest weekly gain since the weeek ended July 25.
* SMB Finance PLC CSELK:SEMB.N0000 and Industrial Asphalts (Ceylon) PLC CSELK:ASPH.N0000 were the top percentage gainers on the index, gaining 33.3% and 25%, respectively.
* Trading volume on the index fell to 148.1 million shares from 261.3 million shares in the previous session.
* The equity market's turnover fell to 6.02 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($19.9 million) from 9.30 billion rupees in the previous session, according to exchange data.
* Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading stocks worth 215.1 million rupees, while domestic investors were net buyers, purchasing shares worth 5.96 billion rupees, the data showed.
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($1 = 302.5000 Sri Lankan rupees)