Sri Lankan stocks rose marginally on Friday on retail interest in select small stocks that posted upbeat first-quarter results, brokers said. The key Colombo all-share index ended up 0.11 percent, or 1.61 points at 1,441.88.
Total market turnover was 301.4 million rupees with foreign sales of 15 million rupees and foreign purchases of 11 million rupees. The Milanka index, which tracks the most liquid and highly capitalised stocks rose 0.62 percent, or 13.33 points to 2,150.29.
"It was a very dull trading day but a few stocks posted good earnings and telecom shares moved the Milanka up," said one broker. Sri Lanka Telecom rose 3.95 percent to 19.75 rupees, supported by retail buying after the company's recent forecast of a 25-percent rise in 2004 pre-tax profit.
Touchwood Investments Ltd ended up 52.08 percent at 36.50 rupees and the Cargo Boat Development Co Ltd rose 38.19 percent to 49.75 on positive first-quarter earnings.
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