A mix of uncertainty and the Federal Reserve System raising its Federal Funds Rate by 25 basis points last week continued to have a negative effect on the bourse, resulting in its turnover falling to an 89 day low of Rs 871.03 million on Monday 27 March. The bourse last registered a lower figure than this on 28 December 2022 with a value of Rs 856.06 million, browbeaten then by the holiday season.
Consequently the bourse fell sharply today, with the benchmark ASPI declining by 1.42 per cent to 9,285.21 points and the more sensitive S&P SL 20 Index by 1.74 per cent to 2,677.98 points on a share volume (SV) of 45.44 million, the lowest in 26 days. A lower SV than this was last recorded on 1 March 2023 with a figure of 43.03 million.
However, the bourse witnessed a parsimonious net foreign inflow (NFI) of Rs 30.90 million yesterday, increasing NFIs in the calendar year to date to Rs 3.23 billion.