BENGALURU, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan shares posted their biggest rise in two weeks on Thursday, with consumer staples and financial stocks leading gains, after the country's central bank projected a quick economic recovery despite the uptick in COVID-19 cases.
** The benchmark stock index .CSE closed up 1.5% at 5,771.89, with all major indexes closing in the black. The bourse, which has lost 5.8% for the year, fell the most in more than two weeks in the previous session.
** The island nation's central bank left its key interest rates unchanged on Thursday, saying the economy is expected to move along a faster recovery path despite the latest surge in domestic COVID-19 cases that could hamper near-term prospects. Bituminous products maker Industrial Asphalts ASPH.CM and salt-based products maker Raigam Wayamba Salterns Plc RAIG.CM were the biggest percentage gainers on the index, rising 50% and 20%, respectively.
** Telecom company Dialog Axiata Plc DIAL.CM and conglomerate John Keells Holdings JKH.CM were the biggest drags on the index, falling 0.9% and 0.4%, respectively.
** Trading volume on the benchmark index fell 25.2% to 147.10 million from the previous session.
** Foreign investors were net sellers in the equity market, off-loading 110.50 million rupees ($599,403.31) worth of shares, according to exchange data.
** The Sri Lankan rupee LKR=LK was last quoted at 184.35 against the U.S. dollar as of 1146 GMT, 0.05% lower for the day compared to last session's close of 184.25, according to Refinitiv data. The currency is down 1.68% so far this year.
** Equity market turnover was 2.27 billion Sri Lankan rupees, exchange data showed.
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