Sri Lankan shares edge up on gains in communication services stocks

Sri Lankan shares closed higher on Monday, led by gains in communication services stocks.

The CSE All-Share index settled 0.2% higher at 22,612.31 points.

Dialog Axiata PLC was the top percentage gainer among communication services stocks, closing about 4% higher.

Industrial Asphalts (Ceylon) PLC and Eastern Merchants PLC were the top percentage gainers on the benchmark index, up 25% and 10.1%, respectively.

Trading volume on the index rose to 141.6 million shares from 120.3 million shares in the previous session.

The equity market’s turnover rose to 2.97 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($9.3 million) from 2.07 billion rupees in the previous session, according to exchange data.

Foreign investors were net buyers, purchasing stocks worth 436.6 million rupees, while domestic investors were net sellers, offloading shares worth 2.78 billion rupees, the data showed.