Bourse tumbles sharply with `big boys’ dragging indices down

WRITTEN BY THARANGA SENARATNE

Aug 21, 2013 (LBT) - Index falls over 100 points: The market suffered a severe dip as the ASPI declined a massive 107 points led by the large cap counters Nestle (-8.0%), Ceylon Tobacco (-5.1%) and John Keells Holdings (-3.8%). The dip in the index was the largest single day drop since 11th June 2012. With the 3 counters being a major part of the S&P SL20, the index followed a similar drop of 60 points.

SAMP dominated crossings board: 12 crossings were recorded for the day with 9 crossings in Sampath Bank which accounted for 50% of the day’s turnover. The 9 crossings amounted to 2.5mn shares at LKR190.0. The counter was active on-board as well with a further volume of 183k shares, but closed on a negative note at LKR189.2 (-0.9%). Textured Jersey, John Keells Holdings and Access Engineering also recorded 1 crossing each.

Investor interest in banking, JKH and DIST: John Keells Holdings in addition to the crossing saw on-board interest as well with 181k shares changing hands. Heavy selling pressure led the counter to dip as much as 3.8% taking the counter below LKR250.0 to close at LKR249.4. Two large on-board blocks of 100k and 89k shares of Distilleries were note at LKR192.0. Among banking counters, Union Bank, Sampath Bank, Commercial Bank and Hatton National Bank registered investor attention.

Moderate retail activity: The weak market sentiment is keeping retailers on the sidelines. However moderate activity was noted in selected counters led by Union Bank, Expolanka Holdings and Vallibel One.
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COLOMBO, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan stocks fell to their two-week lows on Wednesday, led by illiquid large caps despite significant foreign buying and as lack of retail investor confidence hit sentiment amid a falling rupee, brokers said.

The main share index ended 1.73 percent, or 107.67 points, down at 6,116.67, its lowest close since Aug. 5.

'The sentiment is still dampening and investors do not see a positive reason to buy large quantities,' said a stockbroker.

Other brokers said investors were cautious due to the fall in the rupee. The local currency hit an 11-1/2-month low on Wednesday due to importer dollar demand.

Shares in large cap Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC fell 5.11 percent to 1,290 rupees, while Nestle Lanka PLC plummeted over 8 percent to 2,340.10 rupees.

Foreign investors were net buyers of 337 million rupees ($2.56 million) worth of shares, extending the year-to-date net foreign inflow to 18.52 billion rupees.

Turnover was 954 million rupees, more than this year's daily average of about 921 million rupees.

($1 = 131.7500 Sri Lanka rupees)

(Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)

(ranga.sirilal@thomsonreuters.com)(+94-11-232-5540)

(Reuters Messaging: ranga.sirilal.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)(twitter.com/rangab a)
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Both indices on the Colombo bourse tumbled sharply yesterday with the All Share Price Index losing 107.67 points (1.73%) and S&P SL20 down 59.81 points (1.71%) on a turnover of Rs.955.7 million, down from the previous trading day’s Rs.1.13 billion, with 150 losers sharply outpacing 57 gainers while 106 counters closed flat.

Brokers said that the indices were dragged down by the `big boys’ - with JKH losing Rs.9.40 to close at Rs.249.90 on nearly 0.2 million shares, Nestle losing Rs.204.80 to close at Rs.2,340 on 778 shares and Ceylon Tobacco losing Rs.69.40 to close at Rs.1,290 on 900 shares.

Block trades in Access Engineering, Sampath Bank, JKH and Textured Jersey accounted for over half the day’s business with crossings contributing Rs.593.1 million, brokers said.

"The ASPI dipped sharply as most of the large cap banking, diversified and food and beverage stocks lost heavily on selling pressure with activity driven by crossings on SAMP, TJL, JKH and AEL accounting for 62% of turnover," John Keells Stock Brokers said in a market report.

There was a net foreign inflow of Rs. 336.98 million with purchases of Rs. 632.92 million and sales of Rs. 294.94 million.

Access saw a million share parcel crossed at Rs.21.70 in a deal worth Rs.21.7 million, Sampath saw nearly 2.5 million shares done in nine parcels at a price of Rs.190 contributing Rs.471.2 million to turnover, JKH a single crossing of 200,000 shares worth Rs.50 million at Rs. 250 and Textured Jersey a parcel of 3.7 million shares at Rs.13.60 contributing Rs.50.2 million to turnover.

Union Bank was the most traded stock on the floor with 3.1 million shares transacted between a low of Rs.16.90 and a high of Rs.18.70 closing 50 cents up at Rs.17.30 contributing Rs.54.1 million to turnover.

The press report yesterday that the NDB and Union Bank were in talks with the cash rich NDB looking at a stake of the much smaller bank, mentioning a possible strike price, led to speculative trading in the stock which contributed Rs.54.1 million to yesterday’s turnover.

Some analysts were surprised that trading in both Union Bank and NDB had not been suspended pending statements from the two companies in the light of the report.

JKH was the second most traded stock on the floor closing Rs.9.40 down at Rs.249.90 on nearly 0.2 million shares done between Rs.249 and Rs.256 generating a turnover of Rs.45.3 million.

Distilleries closed Rs.2.90 down at Rs.192 on nearly 0.2 million shares, Sampath Rs.1.90 down to Rs.199 on nearly 0.2 million shares, Commercial Bank (voting) Rs.1.10 down at Rs.118.50 on slightly over 0.2 million shares while HNB (non-voting) closed 10 cents down at Rs.114.90 on slightly over 0.2 million shares.

Among other stocks that showed volume were Cargills closing 90 cents up at Rs.192 on 70,147 shares, NTB down 70 cents to Rs.62.20 on nearly 0.2 million shares, Nation Lanka Finance up 30 cents to Rs.7.30 on slightly over 1.2 million shares, People’s Leasing down 30 cents to Rs.14.30 on over 0.3 million shares and Vallibel One down 20 cents to Rs.16.40 on nearly 0.3 million shares.

Orient Finance gave the dates for its previously announced first and final dividend of 20 cents per share for 2012/13 following shareholder approval at an AGM on Sept. 16 with the share trading XD from Sept. 17 and payment on Sept. 26.

E-Cannelling announced a final dividend of 50 cents a share for 2012/13 following shareholder approval at an AGM on Sept. 30 with the share trading XD from Oct. 1 and payment on Oct. 9.

The CSE announced that 20.25 million voting shares and 10.125 million non-voting shares of Tokyo Cement had been listed yesterday. This followed capitalization of reserves in the proportion of one for ten.
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