Sri Lankan stocks slipped on Wednesday from their 34-month closing high hit the previous day as investors booked profits in diversified and banking shares, brokers said. The main stock index ended 0.18 percent, or 12.39 points weaker at 6,783.98, slipping from their highest close since September 20, 2011, hit on Tuesday. It has gained 6.35 percent so far this month.
"Today's fall is led by Keells, but the market is bullish. We are expecting earnings to be good and the economy to have slightly picked up which will give a bit of a boost for earnings also," said a Dimantha Mathew, Manager Research at First Capital Equities (pvt) Ltd. Turnover was 1.03 billion rupees ($7.91 million), in line with this year's daily average of about 1.09 billion rupees. Foreign investors were net buyers of 242.8 million rupees worth of shares on Wednesday, extending the year-to-date net foreign inflow in shares to 10.32 billion rupees.