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.
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($1 = 302.4500 Sri Lankan rupees)