Retail investors account for approx. Rs.3bn of CSE turnover

By Hiran H.Senewiratne 

The CSE’s overall performance yesterday was positive with the active participation of retail investors, who contributed approximately Rs 3 billion against seven crossings The crossings accounted for 12 percent of the turnover, stock market analysts said.

Amid those developments, Laugfs Gas PLC and Laugfs Power PLC, in the Laugfs Group,  saw their voting and non voting share prices appreciate without, apparently, a proper reason, stock market analysts said. Laugfs Gas voting share prices appreciated by 22 percent. Its voting price moved up from Rs 20.90 to Rs 25, which was a Rs 4.60 appreciation and the non voting share price moved up by 25 percent. It shares moved up from Rs 15.20 to Rs 19.

Both indices moved upwards. The All Share Price Index went up by 37.6 points and S and P SL20 by 16 points. Turnover stood at Rs 3.3 billion with seven crossings.  Those crossings were reported in Renuka Hotel, which crossed two million shares to the tune of Rs 160 million and its share price traded at Rs 80, NDB 1.3 million shares crossed for Rs 97.5 million, its share price trading at Rs 75, Commercial Bank 500,000 shares crossed for Rs 40.9 million; its share price trading at Rs 81.80, Hemas Holdings  468,000 shares crossed for Rs 40 million, its share price standing at Rs 85.60. Sanasa Development Bank 562.000 shares crossed for Rs 29.8 million; its shares traded at Rs 53, JKH 140,000 shares crossed for Rs 21 million and its share price traded at Rs 150, while Access Engineering  800,000 shares crossed for Rs 20.6 million.

In the retail market top five contributors to the turnover were;  Piramal Glass Rs 317 million (35.4 million shares traded), JKH Rs 239 million (1.6 million shares traded), Hemas Holdings Rs 176.6 million (2.1 million shares traded), Access Engineering Rs 167.6 million (6.5 million shares traded), and Expolanka Rs. 137.6 million (5.3 million shares traded).During the day 236 million share volumes changed hands in 29750 transactions.  

Sri Lanka rupee quoted firmer at 185.75/25 to the US dollar in the spot next market on Friday while gilt yields remained steady in the overall market, dealers said.

The rupee closed at 186.10/40 in the spot next to the US dollar on Thursday.