COLOMBO, July 18 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan shares rose for theseventh consecutive session on Thursday to hit a more thanfour-month closing high, led by gains in diversified and bankingstocks, while the rupee edged down on importer dollar demand.** The benchmark stock index gained 0.89% to 5,695.69,its highest close since March 8.** The index rose 1% last week, its third consecutive weeklygain. But the index is down about 5.89% so far this year.** On Thursday, the stock market's turnover was 625.9 millionrupees ($3.56 million), crossing this year's daily average ofabout 610.7 million rupees so far. Last year's daily averagecame in at 834 million rupees.** Foreign investors sold a net 17.3 million rupees worth ofshares on Thursday, but they have been net buyers of 1.29billion rupees worth of equities so far this year, index datashowed.
** Shares in conglomerate John Keells Holdings Plcended 2% firmer, Dialog Axiata Plc jumped 3.7% and thecountry's biggest listed lender Commercial Bank of Ceylonclosed up 1.4%.** Meanwhile, the currency ended tad weaker at175.70/80 per dollar, compared with Wednesday's close of175.65/75, as importer demand for the greenback outpaced thedollar selling by banks. The rupee rose 0.37% last week, and isup 3.93% so far this year.** The rupee dropped 16% in 2018 and was one of theworst-performing currencies in Asia.
** The central bank left key interest rates unchanged last weekas expected, after cutting them in May to support the economy astourism and investment plummeted in the wake of deadly suicidebombings in April.** The island nation raised $2 billion via 5-year and 10-yearsovereign bond sales last month, tapping global capital marketsfor the second time in three months.** Foreign investors bought a net 2.68 billion rupees worth ofgovernment securities in the week ended July 10, but the markethas seen a year-to-date net foreign outflow to 19.73 billionrupees, the central bank data showed.** For a report on global markets, click** For a report on major currencies, click($1 = 175.6500 Sri Lankan rupees)(Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez; Editing by RashmiAich)