Financial stocks lift Sri Lankan shares higher

Sri Lanka’s CSE All-Share index advanced 2.09% to 20,541.12 points on Wednesday, with financial shares leading the rise, Business Recorder reported. Commercial Bank of Ceylon, Dialog Axiata and Hatton National Bank were among the strongest contributors, gaining 1.8%, 2.5% and 1.9%, respectively. The index’s trading volume climbed to 119.5 million shares, compared with 61.9 million in the previous session.

Turnover increased to 3.87 billion Sri Lankan rupees, or $11.64 million, from 1.52 billion rupees a session earlier, according to exchange data cited by the publisher. Foreign investors sold shares worth 158.8 million rupees on a net basis, while domestic investors were net buyers of 3.84 billion rupees. The figures point to stronger trading activity alongside a sharp difference between foreign and local investor flows.