Shares end lower, weighed by IT losses

Sri Lankan shares closed lower, dragged by losses in information technology and communication services stocks.

The CSE All-Share index fell 1.11% to 20,674.11.

Food processing firm Hatton Plantations and investment bank Capital Alliance were the top percentage losers on the index, down 12.9% and 8.8%, respectively.

Trading volume on the index rose to 237.6 million shares from 197.9 million shares in the previous session.

The equity market’s turnover rose to 9.05 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($29.99 million) from 6.17 billion Sri Lankan rupees, according to exchange data.

Foreign investors were net buyers, purchasing stocks worth 1.51 billion rupees, while domestic investors were net sellers, offloading shares worth 8.93 billion rupees, the data showed.