CSE fall to 4-month closing low on foreign selling

Thursday, 31 May 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Colombo (Reuters): Shares fell for a third straight session yesterday, and posted their lowest close in more than four months as foreign investors sold diversified stocks, such as conglomerate John Keells Holdings PLC and Aitken Spence PLC.

A weaker rupee, political uncertainty and the recent fuel price hike also weighed on sentiment, with investors mostly keeping to the sidelines, awaiting cues about the real impact of the floods that hit the island nation over the past week, brokers said. Foreign investors sold net Rs. 1.11 billion worth of equities yesterday, turning the year-to-date foreign trade to a net outflow of Rs. 900.9 million worth of shares.

The Colombo stock index ended 0.5% weaker at 6,420.98. It fell 0.4% last week.

Turnover was Rs. 1.7 billion ($10.76 million) yesterday, well above this year’s daily average of Rs. 984.5 million.

“Market came down on heavy foreign selling on John Keells,” said First Capital Holdings Head of Research Dimantha Mathew. “Foreign investors are worried over the rupee depreciation. Currency depreciation is the major worry for foreigners in any country.”

Analysts said investors are waiting to see the full impact of the floods, which killed 24 people last week.

Shares of John Keells Holdings fell 2.2%, Aitken Spence and Company lost 8.1%, Sampath Bank PLC ended 1.7% weaker, and Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC slipped 0.6%.

The rupee hit a fresh low of 158.50 per dollar on 16 May on importer demand for the US currency.

Analysts said market sentiment had been dented by concerns over political instability following President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to suspend Parliament last month after 16 legislators from his ruling coalition defected.

On 8 May, Sirisena urged his own coalition Government and the Opposition to end a power struggle to achieve ambitious goals, including anti-corruption measures.