The Colombo Stock Exchange’s All Share Price Index closed 0.24 per cent lower on Monday, with capital goods leading turnover and small declines in heavyweight conglomerates outweighing gains in telecoms and banking.
The ASPI shed 54.54 points to end at 22,256.26, while the more liquid S&P SL20 fell 7.46 points, or 0.12 per cent, to 6,151.69. Market turnover stood at Rs. 1.67 billion, with the capital goods sector contributing Rs. 286.7 million.
Dialog Axiata was the day’s strongest positive contributor to the headline index, climbing 3.76 per cent to Rs. 44.20. RIL Property added 6.87 per cent to Rs. 28, Hatton National Bank rose 0.51 per cent to Rs. 397.25 and Digital Mobility Solutions Lanka — the operator of PickMe — gained 1.69 per cent to Rs. 165. John Keells Holdings led on the downside, losing 0.99 per cent to Rs. 20, followed by Richard Pieris and Company (down 4.46 per cent to Rs. 30) and LOLC Holdings (down 1.98 per cent to Rs. 544).
Crossings were recorded in Hatton National Bank (185,718 shares) and Dialog Axiata (1 million shares). ACME Printing and Packaging widened its quarterly loss to Rs. 313,538 from Rs. 192,078 a year earlier and closed down 3.51 per cent at Rs. 5.50.
Monday’s session followed the IMF’s confirmation that Sri Lanka has restored fully cost-reflective fuel and electricity pricing and the CPC chairman’s disclosure of a Rs. 129 per litre loss on auto diesel following the weekend price revision.
