Sri Lankan shares plunged to a two-month low on Thursday, further shrinking their early 2021 gains, as rising U.S. bond yields shook global stock markets.
* The benchmark stock index dropped 2.7% to 7,002.04, its lowest since Jan. 6. With Thursday's fourth straight of losses, the index is now well below a record high of 9,025 hit in late January, and is just up around 3% for the year.
* The MSCI's ex-Japan Asian-Pacific shares lost 1.8% and other stock markets dipped after 10-year U.S. Treasury yield, the benchmark for global borrowing costs, rose past 1.45% on Wednesday.
* Earlier on Thursday, Sri Lanka's central bank left its key interest rates unchanged and re-affirmed its commitment to maintain a low interest rate structure until the economy shows signs of a sustained recovery.
** Sri Lanka, which has reported around 84,000 coronavirus infections, has approved the emergency use of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine in the island nation, state minister Channa Jayasumana said on Thursday.
* Financial services conglomerate LOLC Holdings slid for a fourth straight session, closing nearly 9% lower.
* Conglomerate John Keells Holdings Plc fell 2.5% to its lowest closing level since Dec. 24.
* Trading volume on the CSE All Share Index slipped to 133.8 million from 141 million in the previous session.
* Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading shares worth 443.1 million Sri Lankan rupees ($2.28 million), according to exchange data.
* Equity market turnover was 3.01 billion Sri Lankan rupees, data showed.
* The Sri Lankan rupee was last quoted at 194.5 against the U.S. dollar as of 1058 GMT, according to Refinitiv data.
($1 = 194.5000 Sri Lankan rupees)
(Reporting by Chris Thomas in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel) ((chris.thomas@thomsonreuters.com; +91-80-6749-8695;))
