Bourse slips on foreign selling but posts Rs. 3.4 b in turnover

Reuters: Shares extended falls for the second day on Thursday as retail investors booked profits in large-caps amid foreign selling, while the rupee ended firmer on inflows into Government bonds.

The main share index .CSE fell 0.15 per cent, or 9.01 points, to end at 5,816.89. Foreign investors sold a net Rs. 292.3 million ($ 2.31 million) worth of shares, extending the net foreign outflow to Rs. 1.32 billion so far this year.

“The market came down on profit-taking in large-caps and many investors were on the sidelines waiting for the direction with the foreign selling,” a stockbroker said on condition of anonymity.

Shares in Ceylon Tobacco Co Plc fell 1.75 per cent to Rs. 840, while Carson Cumberbatch Plc CARS.CM ended 3.1 per cent weaker on profit-taking.

The day’s turnover was Rs. 3.42 billion, well above the daily average of 1.22 billion so far this year.