Shares end at over 3-year high on gains in industrials, financials

Reuters: Shares ended at a more than three-year high on Monday, helped by gains in industrial and financial stocks.

The benchmark stock index ended up 0.29% at 6,704.89, its highest closing level since July 2017. Trading volume on the CSE All Share Index, however, fell to 59.94 million from 67.82 million on Thursday.

Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC and pharmaceutical company Hemas Holdings PLC were the biggest boosts to the index, ending up 1.4% and 3.1% respectively.

Foreign investors were net sellers in the equity market, offloading Rs. 102.4 million ($ 546,133.33) worth of shares, according to exchange data.

The Sri Lankan Rupee was last quoted at 187.5 against the U.S. dollar as of 11:49 GMT, 1.11% higher for the day, compared to last session’s close of 189.6, according to Refinitiv data. 

Equity market turnover was Rs. 1.38 billion, exchange data showed.