Sri Lankan shares closed higher on Thursday, helped by gains in financial and consumer staples stocks.

The CSE All-Share Index climbed 0.59% to end at 7,188.09, its second straight day of gains.

Sri Lanka reported 1,939 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, a record increase, while overall deaths reached 734, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally.

The South Asian island nation last month imposed fresh curbs on public gatherings.

Conglomerates Browns Investments and LOLC were the biggest boosts, gaining 3% and 1.3%, respectively.

Trading volumes rose to 85.2 million from 74.2 million in the previous session.

Foreign investors were net sellers in the equity market, offloading shares worth 110.3 million Sri Lankan rupees ($562,755), according to exchange data.

Equity market turnover was 1.25 billion rupees.

The Sri Lankan rupee was last quoted at 196.00 against the dollar as of 1250 GMT, according to Refinitiv data.