Shares lifted by financial stocks

Saturday, 12 June 2021 00:53 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: Shares closed up on Friday, fuelled by financial stocks, even as cases of the alpha and delta variants of the coronavirus were found in the island nation. The CSE All-Share Index ended up 0.12% at 7,610.30. The index, which has fallen only during two sessions in June, is up 12.3% for the year.

Palm oil cultivator Shalimar Estates jumped 23% and was the top boost to the index. Cigarette-maker Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC and ice cream-maker Ceylon Cold Stores PLC also boosted the index, rising 0.6% and 1.6%, respectively.

Equity market turnover was Rs. 2.28 billion, according to exchange data. Trading volume fell to 103.8 million from 140.9 million in the previous session.

Foreign investors were net sellers in the equity market, offloading shares worth Rs. 170.4 million ($ 864,974.62), exchange data showed.

The rupee was quoted at 197 against the dollar, as of 1149 GMT, 0.25% stronger for the day compared to last session’s close of 197.50, according to Refinitiv data.