The Colombo bourse continued to fly yesterday with turnover hitting Rs.1.13 billion, up from the previous day’s Rs.0.9 billion and both indices up sharply – the All Share gaining 54.35 points (1.73%) and the Milanka 74.73 points (2.10%) with trades in DFCC Bank generating the highest business volume.

One hundred and ten advancers strongly outpaced 31 decliners with brokers saying that the expected holiday seasonal lull has not yet materialized.

"Nearly 2 million DFCCs were done during the day gaining Rs.5 to close at Rs.160 on a trading range of Rs.155 to Rs.160," Prashan Fernando of Acuity Stockbrokers said. "There were local institutional buyers and high net worth sellers."

The two larges parcels of DFCC, one of a million shares and the other of 650,000, were concluded at the Rs.155 price although smaller quantities were sold at prices that went up to Rs.160, brokers said.

Interest was seen in Lion Brewery where over 1.2 million shares were done between Rs.68 and Rs.72 with the counter gaining Rs.3.75 to close at Rs.71.50 contributing the day’s second highest turnover of Rs.88.4 million.

The biggest single parcel of Lion done during the day was 250,000 shares at Rs.70.50 while a parcel of 172,300 was done at Rs.70 and two of 100,000 and 150,000 each at Rs.68.

Over 11.6 million Vallibel was transacted yesterday between Rs.4.80 and Rs.5.25 gaining 20 cents to close at Rs.5 while Chevron (Lanka Lubricants) was up Rs.15 to close at Rs. 129.75 on over 0.4 million shares done between Rs.120 and Rs.134.

New Chevron shares following the splitting of each previous share into two were listed yesterday and available for trading with brokers noting that the share price rose sharply despite the number of available shares doubling.

``There was a nice capital gain for investors holding the stock which is one of the best dividend payers on the CSE,’’ a broker noted.

Environmental Resources (Walker & Greig) continued its upward swing gaining Rs.5.50 to close at Rs.56 on nearly 0.9 million shares while Distilleries was up Rs.2.75 to close at Rs.102 on over 0.3 million shares.

Banking stock continued to attracted interest with Commercial Bank, NDB, Sampath, HNB X and NTB gaining.

ComBank was up Rs.4 to close at Rs.185 on nearly 0.2 million shares, NDB up Rs.5 to close at Rs.205 on nearly 0.2 million shares, Sampath up Rs.1.75 to close at Rs.197 on nearly 0.1 million shares and HNB X up Rs.3.25 to close at Rs.101.50 on nearly 0.2 million shares. NTB too gained Rs.1.75 to close at Rs.37.75 on over 0.2 million shares while HNB (voting) closed flat at Rs.169.75 on 80,000 shares.

JKH edged up 50 cents to close at Rs.160.50 trading between Rs.160 and Rs.160.75 on slightly over 0.1 million shares.