Consumer discretionary, real estate stocks gain

Sri Lankan shares closed higher on Thursday, helped by gains in consumer discretionary and real estate stocks.

Mercantile Investments and Finance PLC and York Arcade Holdings PLC were the top percentage gainers on the index, each rising 25%.

Trading volume on the index rose to 223.1 million shares from 174.1 million shares in the previous session.

The equity market’s turnover rose to 7.78 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($25.7 million) from 5.38 billion rupees in the previous session, according to exchange data.

Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading stocks worth 1.07 billion rupees, while domestic investors were net buyers, purchasing shares worth 7.57 billion rupees, the data showed.