Sri Lankan shares closed higher on Thursday, rising for an eighth straight week, in a broad rally led by consumer staples stocks.

The benchmark stock index ended up 0.9% at 6,685.64. It is up 9.1% so far this year.

Trading volume on the CSE All Share Index was 67.82 million compared to 94.03 million a day earlier.

Ceylon Tobacco Company Plc and Nestle Lanka Plc were the biggest boosts to the index, ending up 2.8% and 4.1%, respectively.

Foreign investors were net sellers in the equity market, offloading 80.51 million rupees ($424,630.80) worth of shares, according to exchange data.

The Sri Lankan rupee was quoted at 189.4 against the US dollar as of 10:45 GMT, 0.32% stronger for the day compared to last session's close of 190, according to Refinitiv data. The currency is down 4.47% so far this year.

Equity market turnover was 2.75 billion Sri Lankan rupees, data showed.