Sri Lankan shares end higher as industrials, consumer stocks gain

Sri Lankan shares ended higher for a second straight session on Wednesday, buoyed by gains in industrial and consumer staples stocks.

The benchmark stock index ended up 1.07% at 5,905.91.

Shares in conglomerates ExpoLanka holdings and John Keells Holdings rose 7.2% and 1.7%, respectively, and were the top boosts to the index.

Cold chain facility operator Tess Agro and Muller & Phipps ended the day 20% higher to be the top percentage gainers, while Nestle Lanka advanced 3.5%.

Ceylon Tobacco and investment firm Carson Cumberbatch shed 0.9% and 3%, respectively, and were the top drags on the index.

Trading volume on the CSE All Share Index rose to 242.1 million from 169 million in the previous session.

Foreign investors were net sellers in the equity market, offloading 408.4 million rupees ($2.22 million) worth of shares, according to exchange data.

Equity market turnover was 3.53 billion rupees, exchange data showed.

Global markets were whipsawed, while bonds and the dollar gained on Wednesday as results from the US presidential election proved far closer than polls had predicted.