Sri Lankan shares gain for fourth session as industrial stocks jump

Sri Lankan shares closed higher for a fourth straight session on Thursday, helped by a rally in the industrial sector.

* The CSE All-Share index which rose as much as 2.38% during the session, closed up 1.87% at 8,920.71 points.

* The benchmark index has risen more than 8% for the week.

* Industrial conglomerates Hayleys Plc and Expolanka Holdings Plc were the top boosts to the index, rising 18.1% and 22.8%, respectively.

* Sri Lanka reported 198 fatalities due to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 7,948.

* COVID-19 cases rose by 4,483 in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 407,768, even as the island-nation remains under a 10-day lockdown.

* Data showed the country has fully vaccinated 27.29% of its population so far.

* Thirty three stocks hit fresh highs, while 28 companies hit new lows on the main exchange, according to Refinitiv Eikon data.

(Reporting by Shivani Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Amy Caren Daniel) ((ShivaniSingh1@thomsonreuters.com; +91 89 6969 2349))