The Colombo bourse observed a downward trend and volatile sentiments yesterday thus, All Share Price Index declined by 13.9 points (-0.2%) to close at 7,436.6, while the S&P SL20 Index also marginally decreased by 1.4 points (-0.1%) to close the day at 3,000.9.
Moreover, LOLC Holdings, Cargills, Ceylon Tobacco, Browns Investments and Commercial Leasing & Finance remained as the top negative contributors to the ASPI during the day.
Meanwhile, yesterday total turnover stood at LKR2,138.6 mn (USD10,671.9k) vs. 12-month average daily turnover of LKR3,049.7 mn (USD15,218.5k) whilst the volume traded for the day was 75,684.2k against the 12-month average daily volume of 170,810.7k. Diversified Financials, Capital Goods andFood and Beverage were the main sectors that contributed to the daily turnover.
Furthermore, top traded counters for the day were Royal CeramicsLKR218.0 mn, Vallibel Finance LKR146.4 mn, Commercial BankLKR145.5, LB Finance LKR135.0 mn and CIC Holdings LKR129.3 mn. Foreigners were net sellers recording an outflow of LKR15.5 mn during the day. Foreign purchases stood at LKR40.8 mn enticed by Hemas Holdings (LKR13.7 mn), Teejay Lanka (LKR7.9 mn) and LOLC Holdings (LKR3.4 mn) whilst total foreign sales amounted to LKR56.3 mn, mainly seen in LB Finance (LKR20.1 mn), East West Properties(LKR 8.7 mn) and CIC (Non-Voting) (LKR8.3 mn).Further, off-board crossings were noticed in Commercial Bank and John Keells Holdings yesterday.
People’s Insurance, Mahaweli Coconut Plantation, Dialog AxiataandLaugfs Power touched their 52-week high prices yesterday whilst SMB Leasingand Waskaduwa Resort reached its 52-week low price point.Further,Pan Asia Power, SMB Leasing (Non-Voting),Browns Investmentand Royal Ceramics remained as the most actively traded stocks for the day.
LB Finance (LFIN) declared a final dividend of LKR4.0 yesterday.
On the economic front, Sri Lanka’s 2021 budget deficit has been revised up to 9.5 percent of gross domestic product from the initial 8.9 percent target presented to parliament with nominal GDP for the year revised down, official data shows.
The nominal overall deficit remains at 1,565 billion rupees.
