Heavy foreign activity on JKH and NDB lifted turnover levels while buying interest in blue chips SLTL, DIST and DIAL led to the indices recording significant gains yesterday in the Colombo bourse.

Market capitalization rose by Rs. 9 billion while turnover was a healthy Rs. 564 million as against Rs. 375 million the previous day.

JKH saw slightly over a million of its shares change hands touching a high of Rs. 133.75 before closing at Rs. 133.50, up by 25 cents. NDB saw over 750,000 of its shares traded between a high of Rs. 160 and a low of Rs. 159 before closing at the former level, up by 75 cents.

Analysts said that investors were upbeat following a major breakthrough in battling the LTTE such as the sinking of its armoury by the Navy and arrest of Kumar Padmanadan, alias “KP”, the head of procurement and architect of LTTE’s shipping network in Thailand.