The Colombo bourse closed the week with both indices up – the All Share by 38.04 points (0.66%) and the Milanka by 22.66 points (1.02%) – but on a very low turnover of Rs.88.6 million, down from the previous day’s Rs.103 million.

"It was another dull day with the main activity centered round JKH where nearly 0.6 million shares traded between Rs.72.50 and Rs.74," Prashan Fernando of DFCC Stockbrokers said. "The share closed down Rs.1.50 at Rs.72.50."

Brokers said that some buying in LIOC in the latter part of the trading day had helped the indices with counters like Dialog and Distilleries also helping.

Dialog was up 25 cents to close at Rs.8 while Distilleries gained a rupee to close at Rs.60 though on relatively small quantities of 62,400 shares (Dialog) and 83,500 shares (Distilleries).

LIOC saw over 0.3 million shares done between a low of Rs.23.75 at which it opened and a high of Rs.25.50 gaining Rs.1.75 to close at Rs.25.25.

Maskeliya too saw some interest with over 0.1 million shares done between a low of Rs.26.75 and a high of Rs.27.25 with the counter closing flat at Rs.26.75.

Sampath Bank where an extraordinary general meeting to authorize a rights issue at Rs.100 per share is pending closed yesterday at Rs.80 on a trading range of Rs.80 to Rs.83.25 losing Rs.2.25. 81,100 shares were traded.

Vallibel Power closed flat at Rs.4.50 on nearly 0.5 million shares done between Rs.4.50 and Rs.4.60.

The big losers and gainers were all of small quantities of less than 1,000 shares.