Sri Lankan shares rose for a sixth straight session in muted trade on Friday, ending 2017 with a modest 2.3 percent gain after two consecutive annual losses. The Colombo Stock Index edged up 0.08 percent to 6,369.26, its highest since December 8 and posting the first annual increase in three years after falling 9.7 percent in 2016.

Asiri Hospitals Plc rose 24.4 percent, while Carson Cumberbatch Plc ended 0.6 percent higher and conglomerate John Keells Holdings Plc gained 0.3 percent. Turnover stood at 379.98 million rupees ($2.48 million), less than this year's daily average of 915.3 million rupees and last year's 737.2 million rupees.

Foreign investors net bought shares worth 143.4 million rupees on Friday, extending the 2017 net foreign inflow to 18.5 billion rupees. They net bought 633.5 million rupees worth equities in 2016. Sri Lanka will hold a long-delayed local government election on February 10.

Copyright Reuters, 2017