Financials and consumer staples stocks lift Sri Lankan shares higher

Sri Lankan shares closed higher on Friday, led by financials and consumer staples stocks.

The CSE All-Share index settled 0.5% higher at 21,239.65 points.

The index recorded its fourth consecutive session of gains.

Carson Cumberbatch PLC, Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC and Hatton National Bank were among the biggest boosts to the index, up 9.4%, 1.8% and 1%, respectively, on the day.

Trading volume on the index fell to 112 million shares from 253.3 million shares in the previous session.

The equity market’s turnover dipped to 2.89 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($8.69 million) from 5.43 billion rupees in the previous session, according to exchange data.

Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading stocks worth 197.2 million rupees, while domestic investors were net buyers, purchasing shares worth 2.87 billion rupees, the data showed.