Communication services, financials drag down Sri Lankan shares

Sri Lanka’s equity market ended Monday in negative territory, with communication-services and financial shares weighing on the broader market. The CSE All-Share index finished at 20,079.55 points, down 0.3%, while trading volume increased to 54.5 million shares from 48.6 million in the preceding session.

Dialog Axiata fell 1.6% and Commercial Bank of Ceylon lost 0.8%, making them among the session’s largest drags. Exchange data cited by Business Recorder showed turnover declined to 921.2 million Sri Lankan rupees, or $2.77 million, from 958.6 million rupees; overseas investors sold a net 22.4 million rupees of shares, while local investors bought a net 899.7 million rupees. The report offers Pakistani readers a snapshot of regional market performance and investor flows, rather than a direct update on a listed Pakistani company.