Colombo stocks opened lower but closed higher on first trading day after Presidential poll.

Market fell over 60 points in early trading but recovered quickly & closed higher. ASI managed to gain 45.03 points to close at 3636.41 while MPI was up by 56.84 points to close at 4181.79. Turnover was 1.92 billion rupees.

Lanka Cement (LCEM) traded heavily (4.3 million shares) after their announcement on new project to produce cement. LCEM closed at Rs 29.75, up 6.50. Aitken Spence Plc closed Rs 45.50 higher at Rs 1386.25 while its subsidiary Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings Plc closed at Rs 421.00, up 31 rupees.  Asian Hotels & Properties Plc gained ten rupees to close at Rs 121.00.

High Investor interest seen on Plantation Stocks, Malwatte Valley Plantations Plc was up by 8.25 to close at Rs 44.50 while Watawala Plantations Plc closed at Rs 119.00, up four rupees. Bogawantalawa Tea Estates Plc gained 4.75 to end the day at Rs 42.00.

Chevron Lubricant Lanka Plc a unit of chevron Texaco USA closed 3.50 higher at Rs 153.50. Sri Lanka’s only listed ship building company Colombo Dockyard Plc closed at Rs 300.25, up two rupees.

Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka Plc lost 1.50 to close at Rs 117.50 after reaching as low as Rs 112.00 in early trading. Sri Lanka Telecom Plc was down by 75 cents to close at Rs 42.00.