Sri Lanka, July 23 -- (Colombo - Reuters): Sri Lankan shares closed lower on Monday, snapping an eight-session gaining streak, as investors booked profits, while the rupee weakened on higher importer dollar demand.

The country's benchmark stock index ended down 0.97 percent at 5,659.77.

The index is down about 6.49 percent so far this year.

The country's stock market had a turnover of Rs.209.4 million, nearly a third of this year's daily average of about Rs.608.5 million so far. Last year's daily average came in at Rs.834 million.

Foreign investors bought a net Rs.14.4 million worth of shares, extending the year-to-date net foreign inflow to Rs.1.49 billion worth of equities so far this year, index data showed.

Among the prominent lo...