Sri Lanka shares end lower dragged by financials, industrials

Sri Lankan shares closed lower on Tuesday, weighed by financials and industrial stocks.

The CSE All-Share index settled 0.38% lower at 10,647.33.

Sri Lanka’s trade deficit in September widened to $378 million from $205 million a year ago, while merchandise exports and imports declined 10.1% and 12.5%, respectively, according to data from its central bank released after markets on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka’s key inflation rate rose to 1.5% in October from 1.3% a month ago, the statistics department said.

Senkadagala Finance PLC and Expolanka Holdings PLC were the top drags on the index, falling 20.5% and 1.2%, respectively.

Sri Lanka shares end lower dragged by financials, industrials

Trading volume on the index rose to 30.4 million shares from 14.2 million shares in the previous session.

The equity market’s turnover rose to 739.6 million Sri Lankan rupees ($2.26 million) from 396.9 million rupees in the previous session, according to exchange data.

Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading stocks worth 301.4 million rupees, while domestic investors were net buyers, purchasing shares worth 450.4 million rupees, the data showed.