Shares end higher for 15th session, led by consumer staples

Reuters: Shares ended higher for a 15th straight session on Monday, buoyed by gains in consumer staples and healthcare stocks.

The benchmark stock index ended up 0.6% at 6,656.64. It rose 0.6% in the past week and is up 8.6% for the year so far.

Trading volume on the CSE All Share Index was down to 168.24 million from 305.87 million on Friday. 

Asiri Hospital Holdings Plc and Brown Investments were the biggest boosts to the index, ending up 10.6% and 5.7%, respectively.

Foreign investors were net sellers in the equity market, offloading Rs. 103.8 million ($555,942.18) worth of shares, according to exchange data. 

The Sri Lankan Rupee was quoted at 186.8 against the US Dollar as of 10:52 GMT, 0.21% lower for the day compared to last session’s close of 186.4, according to Refinitiv data. The currency is down 3.03% so far this year.

Equity market turnover was Rs. 2.26 billion, data showed.