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During the last round of negotiations, the negotiators were able to finalise the Customs Corporation Chapter.

The Sri Lankan negotiating team led by Chief Negotiator K.J. Weerasinghe consists of Finance Ministry Economic Advisor Deshal de Mel, Finance Ministry Fiscal Policy Department Director General K.A. Vimalenthirarajah, Finance Ministry Trade and Investment Policy Director General C. Jayasuriya and Dr. Ravi Ratnayake.

Weerasinghe earlier said that negotiations might be concluded by the end of this year. However, signing the ETCA is likely to get delayed due to the prevailing political situation in the country.

“We can see the local buying interest coming in to the market at the psychological support level of 6100 levels,” said First Capital Holdings Head of Research Dimantha Mathew.

“It is a good sign that the selling pressure is not there and we can see some select buying interest coming in to the market.”

Foreign investors sold equities net worth Rs.731,474 yesterday, extending the yearto-date net foreign outflow to Rs.2.5 billion worth of equities so far this year.

A downward revision in economic growth estimate earlier this month by the central bank hurt sentiment, analysts said.

Economic growth in 2018 is likely to be between 4 percent and 4.5 percent, falling short of an earlier estimate of 5 percent, Central Bank Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy said earlier this month.