Sri Lankan shares post weekly fall as virus takes toll

Sri Lankan shares edged up on Friday as financial stocks gained, but closed the week lower as the country posted a record single-day death toll due to Covid-19.

The CSE All-Share index ended 0.19 per cent higher at 7,996.04. The index notched its third straight week of losses, falling 1.27 per cent. Investment holding company Ambeon Capital Plc and Commercial Leasing & Finance Plc were the top boosts to the index, rising 24.7per cent and 5.1per cent, respectively.

The island-nation reported here 156 deaths due to Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day death toll so far, bringing the total number of fatalities to 5,620. Cases rose by 3,039 in the last 24 hours, bringing the total confirmed cases to 345,118.

Data here from Johns Hopkins university showed the country had fully vaccinated about 17.32 per cent of its population so far. Sri Lanka’s June trade deficit widened year-over-year to $652 mln, while both imports and exports rose 57.2 per cent and 12.6 per cent respectively, data from the central bank showed.