Dec 15, Colombo: Sri Lanka stocks rose at the Colombo Bourse today in lackluster trading as most investors remained inactive monitoring the developments in the security situation in the country from sidelines. Colombo Bourse has gained over 41% so far this year.

The main Colombo All Share Price Index gained 21.51 points or 0.80% to close at 2,722.19 while the more volatile and highly capitalized Milanka Price Index closed 38.03 points or 1.04% higher at 3,711.20. The turnover was closed at 240.9 million rupees with the trading volume closing at 6.5 million shares.

ACL Cables led the turnover today with 60.3 million rupees trading 294,300 shares at 205.00 rupees down by 1.09%. Sampath Bank fell 4.37% to 104.00 rupees trading 300,300 shares while conglomerate John Keells rose 0.26% to 194.00 rupees in a trade of 132,600 shares. Market heavyweight mobile operator Dialog Telekom traded 686,900 shares at 27.25 rupees rising 1.87% while the fixed line operator Sri Lanka Telecom rose 3.70% to 28.00 rupees trading71,800 shares. Lanka IOC closed up nearly a percent higher at 25.75 rupees trading 276,500 shares.

Other major contributors to the turnover included Caltex Lubricants (203,700), Distilleries (171,000), C T Land (373,000), Tokyo Cement -Non Voting (258,800), E - Channelling (249,100), Asiri Medical (470,200), Vanik (695,200), Royal Ceramics (255,400) and Nawaloka Hospitals (225,400).

Information Technology sector posted a hefty gain of 11.29%. Construction and Engineering, Investment Trusts and Telecommunication sectors rose above 2% while Motors, Trading, Plantations and Healthcare gained above a percent.

Richard Pieris Exports gained 2.75 rupees or 12.94% to top the gainer’s list. The other top gainers included CT Land (11.54%), Reefcomber Hotel (9.09%), Colombo Land - warrants (7.14%) and Vidullanka Limited (6.76%).

Sigiriya Village lost 9.00 rupees or 20.00% placing it at the top of the loser’s list. The other top losers included Parquet (-15.79%), Ceylon Hotels Corporation (-7.89%), Ceylon & Foreign Trades (-7.41%) and Vanik – non voting (-7.14%).

Rupee ended a notch lower today against the dollar according to the Central Bank figures buying at 107.56 rupees and selling at 108.61. City Bank Card, Chase low rate loan, American Express