April 19 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan shares closed lower on Monday, led by losses in industrial and financial stocks, as a surge in coronavirus cases stoked fears of fresh restrictions in the country.
* Media reports https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/covid-19-sri-lanka-may-impose-restrictions-on-overseas-returnees-121041800061_1.html, citing a Sri Lankan health official, suggest the country may impose restrictions on foreign arrivals to curb the surge in COVID-19 cases.
* The CSE All-Share Index fell 0.6% to close at 7,553.50 points. The index is up 11.5% for the year.
* Conglomerates Vallibel One Plc and Melstacorp Plc were the top drags to the index, falling 3.6% and 3.4%, respectively.
* Meanwhile, data from the Sri Lankan central bank on Friday indicated a narrowing of trade deficit in February and a fall in imports and exports.
* Trading volume fell to 126.8 million from 142.9 million in the previous session.
* Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading about 319.3 million rupees ($1.68 million) worth of shares, according to exchange data.
* Equity market turnover was 2.98 billion rupees, as per exchange data.
* The Sri Lankan rupee was quoted at 190 against the U.S. dollar, as of 1203 GMT, according to Refinitiv data.
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* For a report on major currencies, click ($1 = 190.0000 Sri Lankan rupees) (Reporting by Shivani Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Amy Caren Daniel)