COLOMBO: Broad-based advances aided Sri Lankan shares gain some ground on Monday, after they fell on Friday and posted their worst week in over three years.
The CSE All Share index settled up 0.45 percent to 21,594.86. On Friday, the benchmark had shed 1.5 percent.
Healthcare stocks led sectoral gains with a 1.54 percent rise. Industrial Asphalts was the top percentage gainer on the CSE All Share, advancing 25 percent.
Financials rose 0.2 percent - the least among sub-sectors. Late on Friday, the central bank asked lenders to roll out relief measures tied to credit repayments for cyclone-hit borrowers.
The island nation is forging a hurdles-riddled recovery in the aftermath of a devastating Cyclone Ditwah, which has so far killed 635 people.
Trading volume on the CSE All Share fell to 83.2 million shares from 132.1 million in the previous session.