Indices up

Stocks at the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) ended the day up on gains by large cap companies, with the ASPI gaining 12 points (+0.4 percent) to close at 2,791. The MPI which tracks the most liquid stocks of the CSE gained just two points to close at 3,130 yesterday.

Turnover got a boost from John Keells Holdings with the share gaining Rs 1.50 to close at Rs 144.25 on turnover of Rs 444 million. Aitken Spence gained Rs 97.75 (up 14 percent) to close at Rs 798.00. The share reached an all-time high of Rs 800.00 during the course of the day. Carson Cumberbatch gained 4 percent (Rs 9.75) to close at Rs 242.25.

The market also got a boost from the latest tourism numbers which showed arrivals for August 2009 up 34 percent from the same month in 2008. The sector though ended down 2 percent on profit taking. Asian Hotels and Properties lost Rs 1.75 to close at Rs 70.00, Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings lost 50 cents to close at Rs 194.75 and John Keells Hotels lost 75 cents to close at Rs 18.00. Source: First Guardian Equities