Indices dip

The indices at the Colombo Stock Exchange dipped yesterday on low volumes. The broader ASPI declined by 29 points (-1 percent) to close below 3,000 points and end the day at 2,997. The more sensitive MPI lost 28 points (-0.8 percent) to close at 3,345. Turnover for the day was Rs 353 million.

Of the large cap stocks John Keells Holdings closed down Rs 2.25 to end at Rs 141.75, Carson Cumberbatch and Co lost Rs 5.75 to close at Rs 339.75, Distilleries Company lost 75 cents to close at Rs 97.00 and Aitken Spence and Co lost Rs 9.75 to close at Rs 890.00. Of the Banks, Commercial Bank lost Rs 2.00 to close at Rs 177.50, Hatton National Bank lost Rs 2.00 to close at Rs 163.00 and NDB Bank lost 50 cents to close at Rs 183.75. DFCC Bank closed unchanged at Rs 150.00. Sri Lanka Telecom lost 75 cents to close at Rs 44.00 while Dialog Telekom was unchanged at Rs 7.25. Of the other diversified companies Ceylon Theatres lost Rs 1.00 to close at Rs 51.00 and Richard Pieris and Co lost 50 cents to close at Rs 37.00.

In Asian markets, Bangladesh Dhaka Stock Exchange's General Index was the only index that showed gains with DGEN up 0.5 percent. All the other markets were down with Vietnam's Ho Chi Min Stock index down by 3 percent. Of the majors, the Nikkei was down 1.8 percent, the Hang Seng was down 2.3 percent, China's CSI was down 2.5 percent, Singapore's STI was down 0.6 percent and India's Sensex was down 1.4 percent.

Source: First Guardian Equities