Apr 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka stocks ended flat today at the Colombo Bourse in dull trading as most investors remained on the sidelines. Analysts expect the market to remain stagnant until after the upcoming Vesak holidays at the beginning of next week.

The main Colombo All Share Price Index lost 0.75 points or 0.03% to close at 2,785.90 while the highly capitalized Milanka Price Index gained 17.97 points or 0.47% to close at 3,818.60. The turnover closed below average at 124.9 million rupees while the trading volume closed at 4.3 million shares.

Market heavy weight Dialog Telekom dominated the turnover with 18.6 million rupees rising 4% to 26.00 rupees in a trade of 716,000 shares. The land line operator Sri Lanka Telecom rose 0.66% to close at 38.25 rupees trading 186,200 shares. Conglomerate John Keells Holdings lost another 0.68% today to close at 146.00 rupees trading 85,100 shares.

Other major contributors to the turnover included Distilleries (82,100), Touchwood (119,900), Hatton National Bank (70,700), Lanka Milk Foods (166,800), Kshatriya Holdings (141,200), Tokyo Cement - Non Voting (200,800), Lanka IOC (125,400), Overseas Realty (120,400), and Pan Asia Bank (109,800).

Only Telecommunication sector posted a significant gain of 2.19% today. Beverage, Food and Tobacco sector posted a loss of 2.25% while Hotels and Travels, Construction and Engineering, Healthcare, Services, Power and Energy and Investment Trusts sectors lost below a percent.

Huejay International Investments gained 13.00 rupees or 28.89% to top the gainer’s list. The other top gainers included Radiant Gems (11.27%), Kahawatte Plantations (10.81%), Miramar Beach Hotel (10.43%) and Tess Agro (10.00%).

Hotel Developers lost 9.75 rupees or 15.73% placing it at the top of the loser’s list. The other top losers included Lions Brewery (-12.04%), Mullers (-9.09%), L.B. Finance (-8.43%) and Soy Foods (-8.13%).

Rupee ended slightly weaker against the dollar today according to the Central Bank figures buying at 109.21 rupees and selling at 110.55.