Stocks witnessed yet another downbeat session Thursday, extending the losing streak for third straight session, as risk-averse investors booked profit on sector-wise stocks.
Analysts said the market slipped into the red again as a section of investor continued on profit booking mood on stocks that saw significant rise in recent weeks.
Following the previous two days’ moderate correction, the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) saw upward trend in early trading amid rising trading activities.
Within first 15 minutes of trading, the key index of the country’s prime bourse advanced more than 13 points while the CSE All Share Price Index (CASPI) of port city’s bourse gained 7.0 points at 10:45am.
After 30 minutes of trading, the DSEX gained more than 20 points while the CSE All Share Price Index (CASPI) of port city’s bourse rose 26 points at 11:00am.
After that it started to decline which continued till end of the session amid modest volatility. Finally DSEX fell more than 20 points while the CSE All Shares Price Index lost 77 points at closing.
DSEX, the core index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), settled at 5,813, losing 20.12 points or 0.34 per cent over the previous session.
The two other indices also ended in the red. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, fell 4.10 points or 0.28 per cent to finish at 2,186.
The DSE Shariah Index (DSES) lost 4.43 points or 0.32 per cent to close at 1,353.
The market activities increased slightly and the total turnover on the DSE amounting to Tk 5.53 billion, which was 4.54 per cent higher than the previous day’s Tk 5.29 billion.
The losers took a strong lead over the gainers as out of 339 issues traded, 228 closed lower, 72 ended higher and 37 issues remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor.
Beximco continued to dominate the turnover chart with 12.05 million shares worth Tk 374 million changing hands, followed by BRAC Bank, Advenst Pharma, Monno Ceramic Industries and Mercantile Bank.
Popular Life Insurance Company was the day’s best performer, posting a gain of 9.39 per cent while BRAC Bank was the day’s worst loser, losing 18 per cent following its price adjustment after record date.
Port city bourse CSE also edged lower with the CSE All Share Price Index – CASPI –losing 77 points to settle at 17,934 and Selective Categories Index - CSCX –shedding 47 points to finish at 10,838 points.
Here too, the losers beat the gainers as 158 issues closed lower, 52 ended higher and 22 remained unchanged on the CSE.
The port city bourse traded 13.31 million shares and mutual fund units worth more than Tk 411 million in turnover.
babulfexpress@gmail.com