Sri Lanka shares end lower as industrials, financials weigh; Dec inflation rises

BENGALURU: Sri Lankan shares fell for the tenth consecutive session on Monday, hurt by losses in industrial and financial stocks.

The CSE All Share index settled 0.59% down at 10,371.69.

Sri Lanka’s consumer price inflation rate jumped to 4.2% year-on-year in December, driven by rising food prices, official data showed on Monday, although it remains well below the record high levels seen at the height of the country’s financial crisis.

Expolanka Holdings PLC and John Keells Holdings PLC were the top losers on the index, falling 1.3% and 1.2%, respectively.

Sri Lanka shares end lower for eighth straight session

Trading volume on the index rose to 54.60 million shares from 22.40 million in the previous session.

The equity market’s turnover rose to 979 million Sri Lankan rupees ($3.06 million) from 518.70 million rupees in the previous session, according to exchange data.

Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading stocks worth 56.40 million rupees, while domestic investors were net buyers, purchasing shares worth 962.50 million rupees, the data showed.