The Colombo Stock Exchange closed higher on Friday, with the All Share Price Index up 82.57 points, or 0.41%, at 20,316.91, EconomyNext and Hiru News both reported.
The more liquid S&P SL20 rose 26.19 points, or 0.45%, to 5,788.75.
Turnover was thin at about Rs. 1.05 billion — EconomyNext’s figure; Hiru put it at Rs. 1 billion. Diversified financials led with Rs. 233.69 million, followed by capital goods at Rs. 200.09 million.
A green day inside a red week
The gain only partly offsets the week’s losses. The ASPI finished 496 points below the previous Friday’s close, after a mixed stretch that included a 1.38% slide to 20,234 on Thursday.
Raynal Wickremeratne, Head of Research and Strategy at NDB Securities, told EconomyNext that “20,000 is also a psychological limit” for the index, suggesting buying interest could emerge near that level.
Movers
Gains came from Dialog Axiata (up 0.91% to Rs. 44.50), Hatton National Bank (up 0.93% to Rs. 379.00), Commercial Bank of Ceylon (up 0.38% to Rs. 200.00), Richard Pieris (up 4.30% to Rs. 26.70) and Laugfs Gas (up 7.35% to Rs. 40.90).
On the other side, SMB Finance fell 9.09% to Rs. 1.00, LOLC Holdings slipped 1.25% to Rs. 415.25, Haycarb lost 1.37% to Rs. 198.50, and Industrial Asphalts (Ceylon) dropped 16.67% to Rs. 0.50.
Not reported
Neither report gives net foreign inflow or outflow for the session, the number of shares traded, or how many counters advanced against those that declined.
