May 09, Colombo: Sri Lanka stocks ended almost flat today at the Colombo Bourse after falling to near five-month lows yesterday as uncertainty prevailed in the country and investors remained on sidelines.

Main Colombo All Share Price Index dipped 1.82 points or 0.07% to close at 2,705.65 while the highly capitalized Milanka Price Index gained 1.21 points or 0.03% to close at 3,755.00. The turnover closed at 177.5 million rupees with foreign purchases of 87.4 million rupees and foreign sales of 11.0 million rupees while the trading volume closed at 8 million shares.

Conglomerate John Keells Holdings dominating the turnover with 37.8 million rupees remained flat at 148.00 rupees trading 234,900 shares. Commercial Bank rose 0.88% to 171.50 rupees trading 114,000 shares. Fixed-line operator Sri Lanka Telecom rose 0.67% to 37.50 rupees trading 436,500 shares while the mobile operator Dialog Telekom remained flat at 26.00 rupees trading 213,600 shares.

Other major contributors to the turnover included Distilleries (150,800), Seylan Bank -Non Voting (666,300), Chemical Industries (114,400), Asian Alliance (200,500), Merchant Bank (259,600), Colombo Land (720,800), Tess Agro (2,243,700) and Nawaloka Hospitals (518,300).

Stores and Supplies sector posted a healthy gain of 4.88% while Construction and Engineering index rose 2.04%. Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare sectors gained above a percent. Footwear and Textiles sector was down by 3.26% while Investment Trusts and Land and Property sectors lost above 2 %.

Radiant Gems gained 5.50 rupees or 44.00% to top the gainer’s list. The other top gainers included Tess Agro (20.00%), The Lanka Hospital Corporation (14.29%), Reefcomber Hotel (11.11%) and Millers (10.00%).

Colombo Land - warrants lost 21.05% placing it at the top of the loser’s list. The other top losers included Browns Beach Hotel (-15.79%), Kapila Heavy Equipment (-14.84%), Blue Diamonds – non voting (-11.11%) and Property Development (-10.62%).

Rupee ended weaker today against the dollar according to the Central Bank figures buying at 110.14 rupees and selling at 111.46 rupees.