Sri Lanka stocks close up 0.21 pct

Aug 23, 2012 (LBO) - Sri Lanka stocks closed up 0.21 percent Thursday, with investors picking on selected counters, brokers said. The All Share Price Index gained 10.75 points to close at 5,038.15 up 0.21 percent while the Milanka index of more liquid stocks dropped 1.17 points to close at 4,692.82 down 0.02 percent. The S&P index of large cap stocks rose sharply gaining 15.80 points to close at 2847.50 up 0.56 percent.

Thursday’s turnover of 634 million rupees was dominated by John Keells Holdings with 218.8 million rupees, Lion Breweries with 63.2 million rupees and Sampath Bank with 45.4 million rupees.

Among the significant gainers of the day were Colombo Fort Investments, Colombo Investment Trust and Hydro Power Free Lanka.

CFI gained 19.7 percent to close at 107.00 rupees, CIT was up 14.7 percent to close at 109.00 rupees and HPFL gained 6.9 percent to close at 6.20 rupees.

John Keells Holdings PLC closed flat at 199.00 rupees.

Aitken Spence PLC gained 60 cents to close at 111.30 rupees up 0.54 percent.

AVIVA NDB Insurance PLC slipped 60 cents to close at 275.00 rupees down 0.22 percent.

Colombo Dockyard PLC rose 3.10 rupees to close at 199.90 up 1.58 percent. DFCC gained 1.60 to close at 114.90 rupees up 1.41 percent.

Dialog AXITA PLC slipped 10 cents to close at 6.00 rupees down 1.64 percent. Hatton National Bank PLC gained 1.30 rupees to close at 141.30 up 0.93 percent.