Oct 07, 2013 (LBO) - Sri Lanka stocks closed 0.50 percent higher on continued investor interest in tobacco and diversified stocks, and the rupee was steady against the dollar, brokers and dealers said. The benchmark Colombo All Share Price Index closed 29.15 points higher at 5,867.10, up 0.50 percent, provisional data showed, after peaking at an intraday high of 5870.64. The S&P SL20 closed 12.59 points higher at 3,244.38, up 0.39 percent. Turnover amounted to Rs. 483.77 million rupees, down from Rs. 622.16 million rupees the previous day, with shares of 121 firms gaining and 57 losing. Foreigners bought shares worth 243.14 million rupees, up from 86.25 million rupees the previous day, and sold shares worth 15.37 million rupees, down from 113.76 million rupees the previous day. JKH closed 2.50 rupees higher at 219 rupees and featured in two crossings. Ceylon Tobacco closed 21.50 rupees higher at 1,075.50 rupees. Lion Brewery closed 14.40 rupees higher at 374.90 rupees and Cargills Ceylon closed 5.00 rupees higher at 155.00 rupees. Commercial Leasing and Finance closed 10 cents higher at 4.00 rupees. Sri Lanka Telecom closed 70 cents lower at 38.60 rupees and Trans Asia Hotels closed 5.40 rupees lower at 84.50 rupees. LOLC closed 1.00 rupee lower at 60.00 rupees and Commercial Bank closed 50 cents lower at 118.00 rupees. Hayleys PLC closed 5.20 rupees lower at 290.30 rupees. Troubled Touchwood closed 30 cents lower at 4.00 rupees and saw more than 5.9 million shares change hands. HVA Foods closed 90 cents higher at 11.50 rupees and saw more than 1.79 million shares change hands. Citrus Kalpitiya closed 20 cents higher at 6.50 rupees and saw more than 1.6 million shares change hands. More than a million Blue Diamond shares were traded, closing 30 cents lower at 3.20 rupees. The rupee was trading at 131.15/17 against the US dollar in late trading Monday in the spot market, unchanged from an opening position of 131.15/20. Currency dealers said volumes were thin in the foreign exchange market with demand for US dollars matching supply. The rupee traded at an intraday high of 131.10 against the US dollar. A liquid five year Treasury bond was trading at yield of 11.66/68 percent, picking up from an opening position of 11.60/71 percent.

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