The Colombo bourse closed the trading week on a note of optimism with turnover topping Rs.1 billion, up from the previous day’s Rs.557.8 million, and both indices gaining – the All Share by 11.19 points (0.45%) and the Milanka by 29.71 points (1.08%) with heavy trading in JKH where nearly 3.5 million shares were done between Rs.135 and Rs.141 gaining Rs.6 to close at Rs.141.

Nearly half the day’s turnover was generated by this blue chip which contributed Rs.493.4 million to the day’s business volume.

Dialog too continued to be aggressively traded with over 17.3 million shares done between Rs.5.25 and Rs.5.50 closing flat at Rs.5.25 and contributing Rs.90.9 million to turnover.

"Sentiment was strong and there appears to be buying upside, particularly for blue chips," Prashan Fernando of Acuity Stockbrokers said. "The tone for next week’s trading was set during the day."

He said that there were several crossings among the blue chip counters that traded yesterday. These included NTB where over 2 million shares were transacted, Sampath with over 0.5 million shares traded, NDB where over 0.3 million shares were done and Commercial Bank which posted a trading volume of over 0.3 million shares.

NTB closed 50 cents down at Rs.31 on a trading range of Rs. 31 to Rs.31.75 while Sampath was up Rs.2.50 to close at Rs.113 trading between Rs.110 and Rs.113 and the NDB gained 50 cents to close at Rs.163 on a narrow band of Rs.162 to Rs.163.

Commercial Bank, much sought after recently, was up Rs.1.75 to close at Rs.144.50 trading between Rs.142 and Rs.144.50.

Lanka Cement continued to be a major play with nearly 1.1 million shares done between Rs.37 and Rs.38.50 losing a rupee to close at Rs.37.75.

Ceylon Tobacco closed flat at Rs.122 on an unusually large quantity of over 0.2 million shares done between Rs.120 and Rs.122.

Dockyard with over 0.2 million shares traded, DFCC with over 0.1 million shares done and Ceylon Investments with a share volume of 0.1 million all gained at close with Ceylon Investments up a tidy Rs.2.50.

Hotel Developers, the Hilton owners, picked up some lost ground earlier this week gaining Rs.5 to close at Rs.135 on a trading range of Rs.134 to Rs.140 on 83,400 shares.