Feb 28, Colombo: Sri Lanka stocks ended lower today at the Colombo Bourse along with the global markets as local investors sold second tier stocks seeking to lock in profits after recent gains. Stock markets tumbled across Asia for a second day Wednesday except in China where the plunge started yesterday causing the Dow Jones Index to lose 540 points.

The main Colombo All Share Price Index lost 13.60 points or 0.45% to close at 2,982.89 while the more volatile and highly capitalized Milanka Price Index fell by 14.08 points or 0.34% to close at 4,188.26. The turnover was above average at 602.2 million rupees while the trading volume closed at 19 million shares.

Leading the turnover again today with nearly 160 million rupees Sri Lanka Telecom rose 3.64% to 42.75 rupees in a trade of 3.74 million shares while the market heavyweight Dialog Telekom remained flat at 27.75 rupees trading 4.14 million shares. Conglomerate John Keells Holdings remained flat at 189.75 rupees trading 46,700 shares. Touchwood Investments lost 27.41% to close at 94.00 rupees trading 292,800 shares.

Other major contributors to the turnover included Kelani Tyres (1,918,100), Distilleries (173,900), Grain Elevators (1,289,900), Overseas Realty (1,206,700), Tokyo Cement - Non Voting (349,800), Asiri Surgical (623,500), Lanka IOC (248,200), Nawaloka Hospitals (1,842,400) and Ceylon Leather (118,400).

Only Services sector posted a slight gain of 0.85%. Information Technology index fell 3.18% and Power and Energy sector lost 2.04%. Trading, Investment Trusts, Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, Beverage, Food and Tobacco and Construction and Engineering sectors posted losses over a percent.

Asiri Medical Services gained 1.75 rupees or 15.22% to top the gainer’s list. The other top gainers included Commercial Leasing (14.06%), Connaissance Holding (12.50%), Ceylon Hotels Corporation (11.36%) and Grain Elevators (8.33%).

Touchwood lost 35.50 rupees or 27.41% placing it at the top of the loser’s list. The other top losers included Gestetner (-26.94%), James Finlay (-14.43%), Seylan Merchant Bank – non voting (-12.50%) and Royal Palm Beach Hotel (-9.52%).

Rupee ended slightly firmer against the dollar today according to the Central Bank figures buying at 108.18 rupees and selling at 109.24.