Stocks posted marginal gains on Monday though investors mostly followed cautious stance amid pandemic fears and floor price limitation.
DSEX, the key index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, went up by 7.41 points or 0.18 per cent to settle at 3,981 during the three-hour trading session.
The DSEX added 19 points in the past five consecutive sessions.
Two other indices also gained marginally. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, advanced 3.78 points to finish at 1,335 and the DSE Shariah Index rose 1.82 points to close at 923.
Turnover, one of the important indicators of the market, stood at Tk 1.54 billion on Monday, which was Tk 25.43 billion in the previous day.
Market operators said the investors remained cautious as uncertainty looms over the economy due to the pandemic while floor price limitation kept majority of the investors at bay.
The investors were worried about the adverse impact of the worsening Covid-19 pandemic and the regulator-enforced floor price system, which prevented many investors from selling shares of most of the companies, said a leading broker.
Most of the shares remained stuck at the trading floor due to the floor price limitation. Of the issues traded, 239 remained unchanged while 40 issues advanced and 19 declined on the DSE.
As many as 23,323 trades were executed in the day’s trading session with a trading volume of 46.91 million shares and mutual fund units.
The market-cap on the premier bourse rose to Tk 3,116 billion on Monday, from Tk 3,111 billion in the previous session.
Beximco Pharma topped the turnover chart with shares worth Tk 163 million changing hands, followed by Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company, GlaxoSmithKline Bangladesh, Indo-Bangla Pharma and Square Pharma.
GSK Bangladesh was the day’s best performer, posting a gain of 4.33 per cent while Dacca Dyeing was the worst loser, dropping 8.33 per cent.
The Chittagong Stock Exchange also edged higher with its All Shares Price Index (CASPI) advancing 24.80 points to close at 11,308 and the Selective Categories Index (CSCX) gaining 16.77 points to finish at 6,846.
Of the issues traded, 29 gained, 13 declined and 96 remained unchanged on the CSE.
The port city bourse traded 14.16 million shares and mutual fund units with turnover value of Tk 786 million.