Sri Lankan shares closed higher on Monday, aided by gains in consumer staples and industrials stocks.

* The CSE All Share index settled up 0.15% at 8,766.60, extending gains for a fourth straight session.

* Sri Lanka's central bank is likely to continue to ease monetary policy, following a 250 basis-point rate cut on Thursday, as it tries to boost economic growth and lower borrowing costs for the government in the crisis-hit economy.

* In a sign of confidence that the worst of Sri Lanka's financial crisis is over, its central bank surprised markets with its first rate cut in three years on Thursday, signalling a change of course to fuel a rebound in the economy.

* On the CSE All Share index, Carson Cumberbatch Plc and Browns Investments Plc were the top gainers, jumping 10.7% and 3.6%, respectively.

* Trading volume fell to 31.4 million shares from 43.3 million shares in the previous session.

* The equity market's turnover fell to 710.4 million Sri Lankan rupees ($2.45 million) from 738.5 million rupees in the previous session, according to exchange data.

* Foreign investors were net buyers, purchasing stocks worth 12.5 million rupees, while domestic investors were net sellers, offloading shares worth 701.9 million rupees, the data showed.

* For a report on global markets, click ($1 = 290.0000 Sri Lankan rupees) (Reporting by Ashna Teresa Britto; Editing by Shweta Agarwal)