Energy and industrial stocks drag Sri Lankan shares lower

Sri Lankan shares closed lower on Tuesday, dragged by energy and industrial stocks.

The CSE All-Share index settled 0.38% lower at 19,983.78 points.

Serendib Land PLC and LAUGFS Gas PLC were the top percentage losers, down 12.5% and 10.4%, respectively.

Trading volume on the index fell to 20.9 million shares from 33.6 million shares in the previous session.

Turnover, however, rose to 741.4 million Sri Lankan rupees ($2.23 million) from 680.3 million rupees in the previous session, according to exchange data.

Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading stocks worth 81.2 million rupees; domestic investors were net buyers, purchasing shares worth 720 million rupees, the data showed.