Sri Lankan shares inched slightly higher on Friday from a two-week closing low, but foreign selling amid political uncertainty weighed on trade, stock brokers said. The Colombo stock index ended 0.08 percent firmer at 6,557.02, edging up from its lowest close since February 14 hit on Wednesday. Sri Lankan markets were closed for a holiday on Thursday. The index fell 0.28 percent this week.
Turnover stood at 449.5 million rupees ($2.90 million) on Friday, well below this year's daily average of 959.5 million rupees. Stock brokers said the absence of some fund managers who are attending an investor forum in Singapore hit the turnover. Foreign investors sold a net 139.3 million rupees worth of shares, but they have been net buyers of 5.9 billion rupees worth of equities so far this year.