Stocks fail to stay positive as panic grips


FE Online Report | Published: March 18, 2020 12:03:21 | Updated: March 19, 2020 15:58:37


Stocks fail to stay positive as panic grips

Stocks witnessed steep fall after first hour of trading on Wednesday amid growing tension over the impacts of coronavirus outbreak.

The market opened on flying note and key index jumped 106 points within five minutes of trading riding on the news that the banks have started to invest in the share market from today (Wednesday).

The positive momentum failed to sustain as panic-driven investors went to sell-off to escape further losses.

After first hour of trading, DSEX fell more than 125 while the CSE All Share Price Index (CASPI) of port city’s bourse lost 235 points at 11:30am when the report was filed.

DSEX, the prime index of the DSE, went down by 125 points or 3.32 per cent to stand 3,647 points at 11:30am.

Two other indices also saw downturn till then. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, lost 47 points to reach at 1,217 and the DSE Shariah Index shed 30 points to stand at 843 points till then.

Turnover, the important indicator of the market, stood at Tk 1.58 billion on DSE when the report was filed at 11:30am.

Monno Ceramic was the most traded stocks till then with shares worth Tk 67 million changing hands, closely followed by Orion Pharma, LafargeHolcim, Square Pharma and KPCL.

Of the issues traded till then, 28 advanced, 295 declined and 24 remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor.

The port city’s bourse – the Chittagong Stock Exchange – (CSE) also saw downturn till then with CSE All Share Price Index- CASPI-losing 235 points to stand at 11,340 points, also at 11:30am.

The Selective Category Index – CSCX – also lost 143 points to stand at 6,873 points till then.

Of the issues traded till then, 27 advanced, 146 declined and 18 issues remained unchanged with Tk 44 million in turnover.

babulfexpress@gmail.com

Share if you like