Sri Lanka shares end flat; losses in industrial stocks weigh

Sri Lankan shares were unchanged on Tuesday, with losses in industrial stocks offsetting gains in some financial scrips.

The CSE All-Share index ended 0.03% lower at 7,792.21. On Monday the index added 0.6% mostly boosted by financial stocks

Risks to the country's banks' performance and operating environment remain, due to pressure stemming from COVID-19 and the sovereign credit profile - Fitch Ratings said on Monday.

Sri Lanka shares extend gains boosted by financial stocks

Losses in industrial stocks weighed on the index, with conglomerate John Keells Holdings falling 2.2%. It was among the top drags on the index.

While most financial stocks extended gains from the previous session, LOLC Development Finance slipped 5.5%. On Monday it had added 22.7%.

However, Commercial Leasing & Finance extended gains to a third straight session and closed up 22.7%

Domestic coronavirus cases continued to rise, with the country reporting 266,499 total confirmed coronavirus cases and 3,268 deaths, as of Tuesday, according to health ministry data.

Sri Lankan shares end higher as consumer staples, industrials gain

Last week, the country's president directed health authorities to vaccinate all people above the age of 30 in Western Province, before July 31.

So far, the island nation has fully vaccinated about 5.7% of its population, according to Johns Hopkins data.

On Tuesday, trading volume on the exchange rose to 63.5 million from 43.7 million in the previous session.

Foreign investors were net sellers in the equity market, offloading shares worth 235.2 million rupees, exchange data showed.

The equity market's turnover was 1.35 billion rupees, according to exchange data.