SLT and Lanka Hospitals share prices in sharp appreciation following divestment approval

By Hiran H. Senewiratne

Sri Lanka Telecom and Lanka Hospitals PLC were attracting investors yesterday as a disclosure was put out stating that the Cabinet of Ministers had approved the divestment of the stake held by the Secretary to the Treasury in SLT, stock market sources said.

The divestment is to be implemented by the State Owned Enterprises Restructuring Unit under the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies. Following the statement, share prices of both companies appreciated significantly. Sri Lanka Telecom shares appreciated by Rs 10.70 or 13 per cent. Its share price shot up to Rs 95.30 from Rs 84.60 and Lanka Hospitals shares appreciated by Rs 8.50 or eight per cent; its share price shot up to Rs 120 from Rs 111.50.

Amid these developments the CSE started on a positive note. Later it indicated a negative trend following marginal profit- takings and also mainly due to the IMF statement on tax reforms that created a panic situation among the corporate sector and investors, stock market analysts said .

“The market is down and dull, because as expected Sri Lanka got the IMF bailout and now investors are pushing to sell off their shares and attempting to make a profit, stock market analysts added.

The All- Share Price Index was down 95.53 points, while the most liquid S&P SL20 was down 57.82 points. Turnover stood at Rs 1.47 billion sans any crossings. In the retail market top seven companies that mainly contributed to the turnover were; SLT Rs 236 million (2.5 million shares traded), Browns Investments Rs 123 million (17.9 million shares traded), Expolanka Holdings Rs 119 million (868,000 shares traded), Distilleries Rs 77.3 million (3.6 million shares traded), Hayleys Rs 54.9 million (674,000 shares traded), Softlogic Capital Rs 51.7 million (4.2 million shares traded) and Capital Alliance Rs 47.8 million (1.5 million shares traded). During the day 78.9 million share volumes changed hands in 22000 transactions.

It is said that high net worth and institutional investor participation was noted in Hemas Holdings, Hayleys and JKH. Mixed interest was observed in Access Engineering, Expolanka Holdings and Sri Lanka Telecom, while retail interest was noted in Browns Investments, LOLC Finance and Union Bank.

The Capital Goods sector was the top contributor to the market turnover (due to Hemas Holdings, JKH, Hayleys and Access Engineering), while the sector index edged up by 0.08 per cent. The share price of Hemas Holdings decreased by Rs. 2.60 to Rs. 65.40. The share price of JKH moved up by one rupee to Rs. 145. The share price of Hayleys closed flat at Rs. 81. The share price of Access Engineering appreciated by 90 cents (6 per cent) to Rs. 15.90.

The Food, Beverage & Tobacco sector was the second highest contributor to the market turnover (due to Browns Investments), while the sector index increased by 1.83 per cent. The share price of Browns Investments gained 50 cents (7.81per cent) to Rs. 6.90.

According to analysts, with the IMF agreement being finalized, market analysts expect inflation to get on to a path of deflation, balance of payments to be stabilized and interest rates to be pushed downwards.

Yesterday, the Central Bank’s US dollar buying rate was Rs 316.84 and the selling rate Rs 334.93.