Mercantile Shipping Company PlcCSELK: MSL.N0000

Sri Lankan shares log seventh straight session of gains

· Issued by Mercantile Shipping Company Plc

Sri Lankan shares closed higher on Wednesday and extended its gaining streak to seven sessions, boosted by utilities and energy stocks.

* The CSE All-Share index CSELK:ASI settled 0.26% higher at 21,338.45.

* Mercantile Shipping Company PLC CSELK:MSL.N0000 and Industrial Asphalts (Ceylon) PLC CSELK:ASPH.N0000 were the top percentage gainers on the index, gaining 25% each.

* Ceylon Hospitals PLC CSELK:CHL.N0000 and Harischandra Mills PLC CSELK:HARI.N0000 were the top losers, down 8.3% each.

* Trading volume on the index fell to 185.8 million shares from 224.8 million shares in the previous session.

* The equity market's turnover fell to 5.57 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($18.4 million) from 6.56 billion rupees, according to exchange data.

* Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading stocks worth 270.8 million rupees, while domestic investors were net buyers, purchasing shares worth 5.42 billion rupees, the data showed.

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($1 = 302.4500 Sri Lankan rupees)