Jan 21 (Reuters) – Sri Lankan shares closed at the highest level on Thursday, driven by gains in industrial and financial stocks.
* The stock index closed the criterion 3.13% higher at 8,131.25. The index has now outperformed 16 sessions out of 17 sessions.
* Trading volume on the CSE All Share Index rose to 377.65 million from 287.96 million in the previous session.
* Lanka owned companies ORIX Leasing Company Plc and Hayleys Plc were the main increases on the index, gaining 24.3% and 32.3%, respectively.
* Foreign investors were net sellers, downloading shares worth 601.4 million rupees ($ 3.08 million), according to exchange data.
* Sri Lanka’s national consumer price inflation rose 4.6% in December 2020 from a year earlier, compared to a 5.2% rise on the previous month, data from the statistics department showed.
* Sri Lankan rupee was last called at 195.5 against the US dollar as of 11:51 GMT, 0.26% weaker for the day compared to the close of the last session in 195, according to Refinitiv data.
* Equity market turnover was 14.20 billion rupees, exchange data showed.
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* For a report on major currencies, click ($ 1 = 195,5000 Sri Lankan rupees) (Reported by Anuron Kumar Mitra in Bengaluru; Edited by Ramakrishnan M.)