LSL - Market review – 06th December 2012

Colombo Bourse, coming off four consecutive trading sessions of losses, gained in value on Thursday. The benchmark ASI recovered 64.12 points (+1.20%) to close at 5,387.33 while sensitive MPI recovered 42.41 points (+0.87%) to close at 4,899.25. S&P SL 20 Index gained 28.71 points (0.98%) to close at 2,951.85.

Daily market turnover reached LKR 877.1mn supported by institutional activities in Nestle, John Keells Holdings, Distilleries, NDB and Environmental Resources Investments (warrants). Accordingly almost 63% of the total turnover was from crossings. Top contributor to the turnover was Distilleries (LKR 182.1mn) followed by National Development Bank (LKR 128.5mn) and Environmental Resources Investments – warrant 0006 (LKR 103.2mn).

Stocks which played a major role in driving the index up include Nestle Lanka (up 8.1%, close at LKR 1,300.99), Sri Lanka Telecom (up 2.6%, close at 43.20), and Chevron Lubricants (up 2.6%, close at 190.00). Out of the 19 stocks traded in S&P SL Index, only one (Carsons Cumberbatch) recorded a drop in price.

Central Investment & Finance, Peoples Leasing & Finance, HVA Foods and Swarnamahal Financial Services were the heavily traded stocks for the day.

Foreign participation was relatively higher and it accounted for 66% of the total turnover. Foreign investors ended as net buyers with a net inflow of LKR 120.2mn.

In terms of technical indicators market RSI on All Share Index increase to 41 from the previous figure of 29. The 5day moving average line is just about to cross the 10day moving average from the bottom which can be considered as a short-term bullish crossover. And also cash map excluding crossings improved to 56% suggesting the return of bargain hunters to the stock market.