Sri Lankan stocks edged higher on Thursday for a third-straight day despite political worries, with renewed buying in blue-chip John Keells Holdings Ltd.
The key Colombo all-share index closed up a provisional 0.54 percent, or six points, at 1,122.42 points.
Turnover improved to 279 million rupees ($2.8 million), with foreign purchases of 30 million rupees and foreign sales of eight million rupees.
"People are unsure what to make of the political situation, and the market is looking for direction," one broker at John Keells Stockbrokers said.
The market plunged five percent on Monday before an alliance between President Chandrika Kumaratunga's opposition party and a Marxist party was sealed to challenge the government over the direction of a peace bid with Tamil Tiger rebels.
The market lost 25 percent of its value after Kumaratunga took control of three ministries late last year, although it still finished up 30 percent for the year on a cease-fire with the rebels.
Second-largest listed John Keells Holdings Ltd rose 0.48 percent, or 0.5 rupees, to 105 rupees, on 1.2 million shares on Thursday.
The stock tumbled 10 percent on Monday and is off a high of 150 rupees in October last year.
Largest-listed Sri Lanka Telecom Ltd rose 1.3 percent, or 0.25 rupees, to 19.75 rupees, on 943,000 shares.