Sri Lankan stocks fell on Monday despite gains in rarely traded Ceylon Oxygen Ltd, with investors wary of political uncertainty ahead of the new parliament's opening on Thursday.
The key Colombo all-share index ended down 0.80 percent, or 9.75 points, at 1,208.88.
Industrial gas producer Ceylon Oxygen led market turnover and rose 7.03 percent, or 6.50 rupees, to 99 rupees, boosted by what brokers said was local buying.
But activity remained light at 93.6 million rupees ($956,800), with foreign selling accounting for about one-third of that - mostly on Ceylon Oxygen and foreign purchases of about 16 million rupees.
President Chandrika Kumaratunga's United People's Freedom Alliance won the island's April 2 general election but is short of a majority, raising fears that it will not be able to push through legislation in parliament.
Most blue chips edged lower, with conglomerate John Keells Holdings Ltd falling 0.97 percent, or one rupee, to 102.50 rupees and Sri Lanka Telecom Ltd losing 3.08 percent, or 0.50 rupees, to 15.75 rupees.
The two stocks together account for more than 20 percent of the market.
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