CSE wraps up the week on a positive note

By Hiran H.Senewiratne

The investor sentiment at the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) was positive throughout yesterday due to the successful conclusion of external creditors’ bilateral agreement with the government on the external debt restructuring exercise, market analysts said.

Due to these developments banking sector counters showed a significant improvement anticipating Rating Agencies would upgrade Sri Lanka from Restricted Default status to positive rate category, market analysts said.

Amid those developments both indices moved upwards. All Share Price Index up by 146.07 point s and S and P SL20 up by 50.5 points. Turnover stood at Rs 962 million with three crossings. Those crossings ere reported in Expolanka Holdings, which crossed 500,000 shares to the tune of Rs 66 million and it’s share price traded at Rs 132, Sampath Bank 500,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 43.5 million and it’s share price traded at Rs 69 and Lion Brewery 315,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs Rs 28.2 million and it’s share price traded at Rs 896.

In the retail market top seven companies that mainly contributed to the turnover were Sampath Bank Rs 131.9 million (1.9 million shares traded), Capital Alliance Rs 55 million (834,000 shares traded), Expolanka Holdings Rs 47.5 million (361,000 shares traded), JKH Rs 44.5 million (231,000 shares traded), NDB Rs 37.9 million (553,000 shares traded), NTB Rs 35.7 million (337,000 shares traded) and HNB Rs 33.5 million (196,000 shares traded). During the day 38.7 million share volume changed hands in 9700 transactions. Yesterday the banking sector counters were well performed their contribution to the turnover was significant.

The rupee opened at Rs 327.70/328.00 to the US dollar which was Rs 328.00/15 the previous day.