The benchmark stock index ended 0.07% lower at 5,836.62. The index has dropped 3.56% so far this year. Meanwhile, the rupee ended steady at 181.85/95 per dollar compared with Tuesday's close. The currency is up 0.41% so far this year.

Foreign investors were net sellers of riskier assets for 11th straight session as campaigning got underway for the country's presidential election.

They sold a net 95.6 million rupees worth of shares, extending the year-to-date net foreign outflow to 4.13 billion rupees of equities, according to index data.

Equity market turnover was 540.2 million Sri Lankan rupees ($2.97 million), less than this year's daily average of about 660.9 million rupees. Last year's daily average was 834.0 million rupees.

Copyright Reuters, 2019