The Bourse Weekly Performance (Week-ended 1st March2013)

The Bourse Weekly Performance (Week-ended 1^st March2013)

	22nd February 2013	22ndFebruary 2013
All Share Price Index	5,735.61	5,652.69
S&P SL20 Index	3,223.28	3,206.85
Total Turnover for the week	3,937,713,361/-	3,441,502,637/-
Total Net Foreign Inflow/ (Outflow)	511,534,667/-	(91,277,425/-)
Market Capitalisation	2,203,535,258,375/-	2,171,703,001,088/-
Market PER	15.5	15.3

The bourse faced mixed sentiments this holiday shortened week, amidst changing macro-economic fundamentals in the country and controversial developments on the UNHRC Human Rights Resolution against Sri Lanka. The substantial increase in fuel prices on the 24^th Februaryresulted in Investors expecting more pressure on already high inflation. All these factors and losses marked in some market heavy weights also contributed to the ASI reached its lowest since the 28^th of December 2012. At the bourse some blue-chips lost ground as retail selling picked up, while private deals on them helped improve the turnover levels. Analysts also pointed out that the flattening of the interest rate trend line at the weekly treasury bill auction also may have resulted in some investors taking to the side-lines awaiting direction on the future interest rate movements.

Seylan Bank gained a notable 33% this week, while the biggest contributions to the weekly turnover came in from Aitken Spence, Commercial Bank, JKH, HNB, Sampath Bank, etc. Leisure conglomerate Aitken Spence saw almost 6.5m shares trade on the normal board on the 28^th Feb contributing to a near 50% of the weekly turnover. The Banking Finance & Insurance sector was once again leading the turnover chart contributing for Rs. 1.5Bn of turnover this week. Diversified Holdings sector generated a turnover of Rs. 1.1Bn. No other sector was able to achieve such high turnover levels. The highest gain in sector indices was marked in the Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals sector which was 1.39%. An alarming performance was marked in the Information Technology sector when its main index lost over 8.6% this week. Foreigners were net sellers this week.

The stock market movement was heartbreaking as Investors saw the ASI reported a year-to-date loss by mid-week. However, this situation marginally improved on 1^st March and the net yield for the year at the Colombo bourse turned to a positive 0.1% in terms of the ASI and the Market Cap.The Colombo bourse lost a total of Rs. 31.8Bn in market cap during the week.