Sri Lankan shares settled higher on Thursday, helped by gains in financial and industrial stocks.

* At close, the CSE All-Share index was up 0.18% at 10,547.33.

* Sri Lanka's central bank announced fresh measures on Thursday to increase the liquidity of local banks to drive down persistently higher rates.

* On the CSE All-Share index, Hayleys and Lion Brewery Ceylon were among the top gainers.

* Trading volume on the CSE All-Share index fell to 33.10 million shares from 90.10 million shares in the previous session, according to exchange data

* The equity market's turnover dropped to 1.11 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($3.55 million) from 12.20 billion rupees in the previous session.

* Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading stocks worth 217.90 million rupees, while domestic investors were net buyers, purchasing shares worth 1.01 billion rupees, the data showed.

* For a report on global markets, click ($1 = 313.0000 Sri Lankan rupees) (Reporting by Rama Venkat in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore)