Quote for the day

"Investing in stocks is an art, not a science, and people who’ve been trained to rigidly quantify everything have a big disadvantage." - Peter Lynch

LSL - Market Review – 19th Dec 2012

Market traded with mixed sentiments throughout the day although few blue-chips lost ground. Commercial Bank continued to provide activity in the market whilst turnover was dominated by blue-chips. Gains on Bukit Darah helped to prop up the indices as a private deal took place above the market price. Yields on treasury bills dropped across all maturities in today’s auction helping revive the equity market.

ASI gained 4.87 points (+0.09%) to close at 5,512.66, MPI lost 18.44 points (-0.37%) to close at 5,020.86 and the S&P SL20 Index lost 1.63 points (-0.05%) to close at 3,017.99. Turnover was Rs. 464mn.

Top contributors to turnover were Commercial Bank with Rs. 194.1mn, Gargills Ceylon with Rs.56.2mn and Bukit Dharah with Rs.52.5mn. Most active counters for the day were Lanka Milk Foods, Sampath Bank and Vallibel One.

Notable gainers for the day were Talawakele Plantations, up by 10% to close at Rs. 24.90, Huejay International, up by 9% to close at Rs. 79.80 and Ceylon Insurance, up by 8% to close at Rs.79.00. Notable losers for the day were Ceylon Leather Products – warrant (0013), down by 15% to close at Rs.5.10, Tea Smallholder Factories down by 14% to close at Rs. 42.30 and Hapugastenna Plantations down by 10% to close at Rs.38.60.

Cash map for today was 65.4% (excluding the crossings). Foreign participation was 51% of the total market turnover whilst net foreign buying was Rs. 105.2mn.