Sri Lankan shares steady near two-week low

Sri Lankan shares ended steady on Tuesday, near a more than two-week low hit in the previous session, but trading volume slumped to a three-week low as investors awaited the new government's interim budget scheduled for next week. Investors are also waiting for the government's economic policies amid political uncertainty and a lack of clarity on the future of the projects initiated by the previous government.
The main stock index ended 0.02 percent, or 1.82 points firmer, at 7,368.50, edging up from its lowest since January 2 hit on Monday. The day's turnover was 626.2 million rupees ($4.75 million), the lowest since December 29 and less than half of last year's daily average of 1.42 billion rupees, exchange data showed. President Maithripala Sirisena's coalition has promised a 100-day programme to restore democracy and the economy before he dissolves parliament for a general election after April 23.