Sri Lanka stocks end firmer; foreign buying boosts turnover

COLOMBO, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan stocks clawed back after losses in early trade to end firmer on Thursday, with turnover boosted by block foreign buying in Asiri Surgical Hospital, dealers said.

The Colombo Stock Exchange's main index gained 0.31 percent, or 16.79 points, to 5,388.92, its highest close since May 3. It fell 1 percent in early trade.

It has risen eight straight sessions and Thursday's rise helped boost market capitalisation by 6.4 billion rupees ($48.37 million).

Shares in Asiri Surgical Hospital gained 2.47 percent on foreign buying, dealers said.

Turnover was 1.1 billion rupees ($8.31 million), higher than this year's daily average of 868.8 million rupees.

The bourse saw foreign inflows of 66.5 million rupees worth of shares, extending the net inflow so far this year to 28.5 billion rupees.

The rupee was trading at 132.38/40 against the dollar at 1034 GMT, weaker than Wednesday's 132.30/35 on light demand from importers. ($1 = 132.3250 Sri Lanka rupees) (Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)