Mar 29, Colombo: Sri Lanka stocks ended lower today at the Colombo Bourse in dull trading as most investors showed no interest in trading. Analysts say the market will remain inactive until after the approaching New Year holidays.

The main Colombo All Share Price Index lost 9.14 points or 0.33% to close at 2,792.15 while the highly capitalized Milanka Price Index lost 13.29 points or 0.35 to close at 3,833.90. The turnover was low today closing at 126.6 million rupees with the trading volume closing at 4.8 million shares.

Distilleries dominated the turnover with 17.2 million rupees trading 162,000 shares at 106.00 rupees, up by 0.26%. Fixed-line operator Sri Lanka Telecom remained flat at 37.00 rupees trading 263,800 shares while market heavyweight mobile operator Dialog Telekom rose 0.98% to 25.75 rupees. Conglomerate John Keells Holdings gained 1.61% to close at 157.50 rupees.

Other major contributors to the turnover included Ceylon Leather (425,600), Tokyo Cement -Non Voting (100,900), Sierra Cables (936,300), Colombo Land (226,500), Nawaloka Hospitals (350,500) and Ceylon Glass (264,300).

Oil Palms sector posted a healthy gain of 4.56% while Construction and Engineering index rose 2.07%. Power and Energy sector closed up by 1.58%. Healthcare sector posted a loss of 2.90% while Investment Trusts sector closed down by 2.66%..

Sathosa Motors gained 29.75 rupees or 24.74% to top the gainer’s list. The other top gainers included Seylan Merchant Bank - non voting (16.67%), The Lighthouse Hotel (11.22%), Blue Diamonds - non voting (11.11%) and Mullers (10.00%).

Royal Palm Beach Hotel lost 5.25 rupees or 13.12% placing it at the top of the loser’s list. The other top losers included Confifi Hotel Holdings (-12.68%), Hayleys Exports (-11.76%), Colombo Fort Investment (-10.77%) and Tangerine Hotel (-10.71%).

Rupee slipped against the dollar today according to the Central Bank figures buying at 108.59 rupees and selling at 109.98.