Apr 04, Colombo: Sri Lanka stocks ended slightly lower today at the Colombo Bourse as investors remained inactive on approaching holiday lull trading second tier shares while market heavyweights remained flat.

The main Colombo All Share Price Index fell 8.37 points or 0.30% to close at 2,795.63 while the highly capitalized Milanka Price Index closed 18.18 points or 0.47 lower to close at 3,826.01. The turnover was below average at 111.2 million rupees while the trading volume closed at only 3.3 million shares.

Conglomerate John Keells Holdings remained flat at 155.00 rupees trading 238,300 shares to dominate the turnover with nearly 37 million rupees. Fixed-line operator Sri Lanka Telecom remained flat at 38.00 rupees trading 217,700 shares while market heavyweight mobile operator Dialog Telekom dipped 0.98% to 25.25 rupees trading 186,400 shares. Other major contributors to the turnover included John Keels Hotels (500,100), CIC - Non Voting (66,200) and Nawaloka Hospitals (451,300).

Stores and Supplies sector posted a healthy gain of 5.54% while Trading sector gained 2.15%. Information Technology, Investment Trusts, Footwear and Textiles, Power and Energy, Plantations and Construction and Engineering sectors lost over a percent.

Alufab gained 4.50 rupees or 20.93% to top the gainer’s list. The other top gainers included Richard Pieris Exports (13.04%), Colonial Motors (12.86%), Hunter & Company (12.07%) and Stafford Hotels (11.11%).

Bogawantalawa Tea Estates lost 2.25 rupees or 16.67% placing it at the top of the loser’s list. The other top losers included Colombo Fort Investment (-11.94%), Mahaweli Reach Hotel (-11.25%), Sathosa Motors (-10.94%) and Serendib Hotels (-10.81%).

Rupee closed stronger against the dollar today according to the Central Bank figures buying at 107.65 rupees and selling at 108.99.