Business
Sri Lankan shares rise for eighth straight session
Sri Lankan shares rise for eighth straight session
About this update from Smb Finance Plc
Sri Lankan shares closed higher for eight straight sessions on Thursday, led by consumer staples and financial stocks. * The CSE All-Share index CSELK:ASI settled 0.86% higher at 21,521.06.* The index closed at a record high for fifth straight session.* 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 rose to 261.3 million shares from 185.8 million shares in the previous session.* The equity market's turnover rose to 9.30 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($30.8 million) from 5.57 billion rupees in the previous session, according to exchange data.* Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading stocks worth 392.9 million rupees, while domestic investors were net buyers, purchasing shares worth 9.04 billion rupees, the data showed.* For a report on global markets, click ($1 = 302.4500 Sri Lankan rupees)