COLOMBO - Sri Lanka's main stock index climbed nearly 1.9% while the rupee currency gained 0.4% on Monday, a day after former wartime defence chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the presidential election by a big margin. 

The stock index touched 6,135.20, its highest since Nov. 2, 2018. It was up 1.54% at 0600 GMT.

The rupee rose to 179.40 per U.S. dollar soon after it opened. It traded at 179.95 at 0601 GMT.

Rajapaksa will sworn into office on Monday.

(Reporting by Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) ((shihar.aneez@thomsonreuters.com; +94-11-232-5540; Reuters Messaging: shihar.aneez.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net twitter:@shiharaneez))