Colombo Stock Exchange Market Review – 21st Nov 2016

(Click here)

Colombo Stock Exchange Trade Summary 21-Nov-2016

Colombo bourse continued to remain on negative side amid sell-offs seen in selected high caps. All Share index shed 50.85 index points or 0.80% to end at 6,275.26 while 20-scrip S&P SL index lost 28.68 index points or 0.82% to end at 3,486.30.

Premier blue-chip, John Keells Holdings (closed at LKR 144.30, -1.2%) drove the index down along with Asiri Hospitals Holdings (closed at LKR 27.30, -5.5%) and Aitken Spence (closed at LKR 66.00, -3.4%). 

Daily market turnover was LKR 395mn. No crossings were recorded during the day. Commercial Bank topped the turnover list with LKR 104mn followed by John Keells Holdings (LKR 94mn), Alumex (LKR 41mn) and Hatton National Bank non-voting (LKR 13mn) respectively. 

Market breadth was negative where out of 207 counters traded, 127 slipped, 21 advanced while 59 scripts remained unchanged. High investor activity was witnessed in John Keells Holdings, Chevron Lubricants, Ceylon Grain Elevators and Teejay Lanka.

Foreign investors stood on sell side with a net foreign outflow of LKR 48mn. Foreign participation was 36%. Net foreign outflows were seen in John Keells Holdings (LKR 54mn), Chevron Lubricants (LKR 3mn), Access Engineering (LKR 3mn). Net foreign inflow was mainly seen in Hatton National Bank (LKR 10mn). 

Source: LSL

Sri Lankan shares fall for 6th session; tax proposals weigh on mkt

Reuters: Sri Lankan shares fell for a sixth straight session on Monday, posting their lowest close in four and a half months, in thin volume as investor sentiment was hit by budget tax proposals, including revisions in corporate and withholding taxes.

The government aims to boost its 2017 tax revenue by 27 percent to 1.82 trillion rupees ($12.36 billion) year-on-year, and meet a commitment given to the International Monetary Fund in return for a $1.5 billion loan in May.

The benchmark index of the Colombo Stock Exchange ended down 0.8 percent, or 50.85 points, at 6,275.26, its lowest close since July 5. It has declined 2.27 percent over the past six sessions after the budget was presented on Nov. 10.

The index was in oversold territory, with the 14-day relative strength index at 18.405 versus Friday's 23.399, Thomson Reuters data showed. A level between 30 and 70 indicates the market is neutral.

"Confidence levels are very low and selling pressure is starting to increase with continued foreign selling," said Dimantha Mathew, head of research, First Capital Equities (Pvt) Ltd.

"No catalyst at the moment to reverse the trend amid global worries."

Analysts said some of the budget proposals were still unclear, and there were concerns that some of them could be reversed like last year.

The market shrugged off a move by the Securities and Exchange Commission to change the minimum floating rule to raise market liquidity.

Foreign investors sold a net 47.98 million rupees ($324,298.75) of shares on Monday, extending the year-to-date net foreign outflow of 1.16 billion rupee of shares.

Analysts said the increase in various taxes and fees would reduce the disposable income of people and challenge the consumption-led growth.

Turnover was 395.4 million rupees, well below this year's daily average of 700.8 million rupees.

Shares of conglomerate John Keells Holdings Plc fell 1.16 percent, while Asiri Hospital Holdings Plc dropped 5.54 percent.

Shares of Sampath Bank Plc fell 1.88 percent, while Sri Lanka Telecom Plc dropped 1.41 percent. 

($1 = 147.9500 Sri Lankan rupees) 

(Reporting by Ranga Sirilal; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)