Shares see worst day in a month as consumer staples, industrials drag

Reuters: Shares fell the most in a month on Thursday, dragged down by losses in consumer staples and industrial stocks.

The benchmark stock index ended down 0.5% at 6,624.15. It is up 8.1% for the year so far. 

Trading volume on the CSE All Share Index was 610.33 million compared to 410.41 million a day earlier.

Ceylon Tobacco Company Plc and Browns Investment Plc were the biggest drags to the index, losing 2.3% and 4.9%, respectively.

Foreign investors were net sellers in the equity market, offloading Rs. 112.85 million ($603,475.94) worth of shares, according to exchange data.

The Sri Lankan Rupee was quoted at 186.5 against the US Dollar as of 10:42 GMT, 0.21% higher for the day compared to last session’s close of 186.9, according to Refinitiv data. The currency is down 2.87% so far this year.

Equity market turnover was Rs. 4.44 billion, data showed.