Foreign net buying boosts bourse

By Hiran H.Senewiratne 

The CSE gained 0.18 percent yesterday and witnessed some foreign net buying amounting to Rs. 118 million, helped by index heavy CTC, Vallibel One and Expolanka Holdings, brokers said.

Turnover was Rs.  972 million with a single crossing with 67 stocks gaining and 84 falling. That crossing was reported in JKH, which crossed 1.25 million shares to the tune of Rs. 188 million and its  shares traded at Rs. 150.  The Colombo benchmark All Share Price Index gained 12.58 points to close at 6,979.29.

The index fell during mid-day trading reaching a daily low at 6,912.63 but picked up to close marginally high. The S&P SL20 index of more liquid stocks gained 0.56 percent or 15.67 points to close at 2,801.79.

Ceylon Tobacco Company closed Rs. 7.00 up at Rs. 999.75, contributing most to the ASPI gain, while Ceylon Cold stores closed Rs. 12.00  down at Rs. 601.25  and Piramal Glass Ceylon closed flat at Rs. 9.60.

Vallibel One gained Rs. 1.00 to close at Rs. 47.00 and JKH closed flat at Rs. 150.00. Hayleys PLC closed 60 cents up at Rs. 55.10  with key subsidiaries Dipped Products gaining 90 cents to close at Rs. 45.00  and Haycarb  gaining Rs. 1.30  to close at Rs. 93.40.

The Kingsbury closed flat at Rs. 5.60 and Singer Sri Lanka closed 40 cents up at Rs. 17.50. .Expolanka gained 20 cents to close at Rs. 43.50  and Melstacorp Holdings closed 10 cents up at Rs. 43.50 per share.

LOLC Holdings gained Rs. 1.50 to close at Rs. 288.50. LOLC Finance closed 10 cents down at Rs. 5.70  while Brown and Company gained 3.00 rupees to close at Rs. 149.75  and Browns Investments closed flat at Rs. 4.80.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon closed 80 cents up at Rs. 87.20  and Hatton National Bank closed 25 cents up at Rs. 128.00. DFCC Bank closed Rs. 1.50 up at Rs. 59.50  and Nations Trust Bank closed flat at Rs. 53.80.

Therefore, main top five contributors to the turnover were, JKH Rs. 241 million (1.6 million shares traded), Sampath Bank Rs. 63.7 million (1.24 million shares traded), Royal Ceramic Rs. 50.3 million (207,000 shares traded), Dipped Products Rs. 41.8 million (934,000 shares traded) and Expolanka Rs. 41.8 million (97000 shares traded).