Bourse continues upward trend

The Colombo Stock Exchange continued to move positively on the second day of the year, as investors bought up shares. The ASPI, which tracks the movements of all the shares in the market, gained 38 points (+1.1 percent) to close at a new high of 3,520. The MPI, which tracks the movements of the most liquid stocks in the market, closed up 64 points (+1.6 percent) at 4026.

Turnover for the day was Rs 1.5 billion on a volume of 37.6 million shares. Distilleries Company closed at Rs 114.00 on turnover of Rs 172 million on a volume of 1.5 million shares.

Distilleries Company saw an intraday high of Rs 116.50 having started the day at Rs 111.00.

Touchwood Investments generated Rs 164 million in turnover as the share reached an intraday high of Rs 100.00, but finally closed at Rs 95.00. The share also had two crossings at Rs 108.00 for a total of 1.2 million shares.

John Keells Holdings saw Rs 95 million worth of business with the share closing at Rs 180.00, NDB Bank closed at Rs 211.50.

Sri Lanka Telecom closed down Rs 1.00 to end at Rs 44.00 while Dialog Telekom closed at Rs 7.00, though it dipped to Rs 6.75 during the course of the day's trading.

First Guardian Equities