Reuters: Sri Lankan share index fell about 2 percent to near 19-month low on Monday due to rising yields and as investors sold their stocks to settle margin trading, brokers said.
The main stock index ended 1.89 percent, or 121.59 points weaker, at 6,324.61, its lowest close since June 27, 2014.
The market has lost about 8.3 percent this year through Monday's close due to foreign outflows triggered by global concerns related to China's economy.
"On one hand, large quantities of foreign selling is available in the market. But on the other hand nobody is coming forward to buy the market," said Dimantha Mathew, research manager at First Capital Equities (Pvt) Ltd.
"The fall has already triggered margin calls for everybody. There is also lack of positive news and there is nothing concrete taking place on the government side, while interest rates are also slowly on the rise though the central bank is tightly holding them," he said.
Foreign investors sold a net 151.3 million rupees ($1.05 million) worth of equities on Monday, extending net outflows to 2.36 billion rupees so far this year. Last year, the island nation saw a net outflow of 4.43 billion rupees.
Stockbrokers said some foreign funds have already started selling blue chips including the market heavyweight John Keells Holdings and lender Commercial Bank of Ceylon .
The turnover was at 812.7 million rupees ($6.81 million).
The yield on 91-day t-bill rose 40 basis points to an over three-month high of 6.78 percent in three weekly auctions since the Dec. 30 monetary policy announcement.
Conglomerate John Keells fell 2.7 percent, while Lanka Orix Leasing Co lost 7.2 percent, dragging the overall index.
($1 = 144.0000 Sri Lankan rupees)
The main stock index ended 1.89 percent, or 121.59 points weaker, at 6,324.61, its lowest close since June 27, 2014.
The market has lost about 8.3 percent this year through Monday's close due to foreign outflows triggered by global concerns related to China's economy.
"On one hand, large quantities of foreign selling is available in the market. But on the other hand nobody is coming forward to buy the market," said Dimantha Mathew, research manager at First Capital Equities (Pvt) Ltd.
"The fall has already triggered margin calls for everybody. There is also lack of positive news and there is nothing concrete taking place on the government side, while interest rates are also slowly on the rise though the central bank is tightly holding them," he said.
Foreign investors sold a net 151.3 million rupees ($1.05 million) worth of equities on Monday, extending net outflows to 2.36 billion rupees so far this year. Last year, the island nation saw a net outflow of 4.43 billion rupees.
Stockbrokers said some foreign funds have already started selling blue chips including the market heavyweight John Keells Holdings and lender Commercial Bank of Ceylon .
The turnover was at 812.7 million rupees ($6.81 million).
The yield on 91-day t-bill rose 40 basis points to an over three-month high of 6.78 percent in three weekly auctions since the Dec. 30 monetary policy announcement.
Conglomerate John Keells fell 2.7 percent, while Lanka Orix Leasing Co lost 7.2 percent, dragging the overall index.
($1 = 144.0000 Sri Lankan rupees)
(Reporting by Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal; Editing by Anand Basu)
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