Sri Lanka shares end higher

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan shares closed higher on Monday, aided by communication services and financial stocks.

The CSE All-Share index settled 1.30% higher at 17,156.05.

Sri Lanka aims to transform its crisis-hit economy to prepare to resume debt repayments from 2028, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said on Monday as he unveiled a budget that is seen as a key step towards durable, long-term growth.

He said he expected the economy to grow 5% this year and at about the same rate in the medium term. The government aimed to keep inflation low and exchange rates stable, he said.

UB Finance Company and Chemanex Plc were the top gainers on the index, up 14.3% and 11.3%, respectively.