Shares slip as industrials, financials drag

REUTERS: Sri Lankan shares ended lower yesterday, snapping three sessions of gains, as industrial and financial stocks declined.

The benchmark stock index ended 2.57 percent lower at 7,597.51.

Lanka ORIX Leasing company slid 7.4 percent to be the biggest drag on the index, followed by a 2.8 percent fall in conglomerate John Keells Holdings. Trading volume on the CSE All Share Index fell to 130.4 million, from 199.5 million in the previous session.

Foreign investors were net buyers, purchasing Rs.80.1 million (US $ 413,953.49) worth of shares, according to exchange data.

Equity market turnover was Rs.2.35 billion, data showed.

The Sri Lankan rupee was last quoted at 193.5 against the US dollar, as of 1057 GMT.