Sri Lankan stocks dived 9.5 percent on Tuesday, the first trading day after voters ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's pro-business party in favour of a left-leaning minority government.
Blue chip stocks took a beating, but hotel stocks were also especially hard hit, reflecting worries the rebounding tourism sector could suffer if the new government is unstable or if a peace process with Tamil rebels is derailed.
Aitken Spence and Co Ltd, a conglomerate with heavy interests in resorts, lost 13.7 percent, or 36.5 rupees, to 230 rupees. Asian Hotel Properties Ltd, which owns several Colombo hotels, dropped 14.55 percent, or four rupees, to 23.50.
The key Colombo all-share index ended down 9.53 percent, or 125.12 points, at 1,188.34, after initial figures showed it closing down 9.70 percent.
The Milanka index of the largest and most liquid stocks finished down 12.75 percent, or 264.91 points, at 1,812.02
Sri Lanka Telecom Ltd fell 13.16 percent, or 2.50 rupees, to 16.50, while conglomerate John Keells Holdings Ltd lost 14.22 percent, or 16 rupees, to 96.50 rupees.
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