CSC main benchmark index reaches high

The Colombo Stock Exchange’s CSC main benchmark index reached another 12-month high as investors continued to be positive on the nation’s economy.

The ASPI reached an intra-day high of 2,540 in early morning trading yesterday and ended the day at 2,520, gaining 28 points (up 1.1 percent) for the day.

The MPI, which tracks the most liquid 25 stocks in the market, closed up 42 points (a gain of 1.5 percent) to end at 2,835. Turnover for the day was Rs 658 million with Dialog Telekom accounting for Rs 136 million in turnover.

Dialog closed the day at Rs 5.50, up 25 cents.

Lanka Cement came down by Rs 3.50 to close at Rs 34.00 as retailers took profits. Turnover from the defunct cement company came to Rs 80 million. John Keells Holdings continued to see interest with the share closing at Rs 140.00 on turnover of Rs 74 million.

Aitken Spence closed up Rs 10.00 at Rs 640.00, while Distilleries Company ended the day up a rupee at Rs 88.00. Lanka Milk Foods, which closely tracks Distilleries Company, closed up Rs 1.75 at Rs 44.00.

In the Hotels Sector, Asian Hotels and Properties closed up a rupee at Rs 57.00, while Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings closed down Rs 2.25 at Rs 160.00. Major Asian markets were all positive with Singapore’s Straits Times Index up 1.7 percent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index up 1.4 percent and Japan’s Nikkei Index up 0.9 percent.

Source: First Guardian Equities