CSE gains for fourth session

REUTERS: Shares ended higher for a fourth straight session on Friday, helped by gains in financial and consumer stocks.

The benchmark CSE All Share Index closed up 0.7% at 5,438.91. The index gained 2.4% this week. Shares of Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka rose 4.4%, while Amãna Bank rose 20%, and were among the biggest boosts to the index.

Shares of Ceylon Tobacco Company fell 0.5%, making it the biggest drag on the index.

Trading volume on the CSE All Share Index fell to 93.7 million from 133.7 million in the previous session.

Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading Rs. 385.7 million ($2.09 million) worth of shares.

Equity market turnover was Rs. 1.64 billion, exchange data showed.