The Square Pharmaceuticals dominated the premier bourse's transaction chart for the third consecutive session on Sunday as the top 10 traded companies accounted for 36 per cent of the turnover.
Brokers said investors remained active buying the Square Pharma's shares as the company recently approved Tk 2.02 billion for BMRE (balancing, modernisation, rehabilitation and expansion) and spending on capital machinery and land for future expansion fuelling optimism of investors.
Square Pharmaceuticals Kenya EPZ Limited, a subsidiary of Square Pharmaceuticals, started construction of its manufacturing plant in Nairobi on January 10 which also attracted investors.
The state-of-the-art plant is a benchmark for the Bangladeshi industry's achievements as Square Pharmaceuticals would be the first to build its own plant abroad.
"Optimistic investors continued to take position on fundamentally sound issues like Square Pharma, taking the company to the top of the turnover list for third straight session," said an analyst at a leading brokerage firm.
Apart from Square Pharma, the most other active shares in terms of value included IFAD Autos, National Bank, Grameenphone, Golden Harvest Agro Industries, Deshbandhu Polymer, Bangladesh Thai Aluminium, Western Marine Shipyard, Paramount Textile and National Tubes.
Share prices of all top 10 traded companies closed higher up to 5.28 per cent.
According to statistics available with the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), some 877,004 shares of Square Pharma were traded, generating a turnover of Tk 283 million, which was 8.22 per cent of the premier bourse's total transactions.
The total turnover stood at Tk 3.44 billion. It was 4.10 per cent lower than the previous day's Tk 3.59 billion.
The second largest market-cap company's share price hovered between Tk 321.10 and Tk 325.40 before closing at Tk 323.90, advancing 0.18 per cent over the previous session.
The pharma sector company also posted 24.36 per cent growth in consolidated earnings per share (EPS) in the third quarter (Q3) of July-September, 2017 period. The EPS was Tk 4.39 for the period against Tk 3.53 for July-September, 2016.
The pharma company disbursed 35 per cent cash and 7.50 per cent stock dividend for the year ended on June 30, 2017. In 2016, the company paid 40 per cent cash and 10 per cent stock dividend.
The company's paid-up capital is Tk 7.37 billion and authorised capital is Tk 10 billion while total number of securities is 737.39 million.
The sponsor-directors own 34.43 per cent stake in the company, institutional investors own 10.35 per cent, foreign stakeholders 19.46 per cent and the general public 35.76 per cent as of December 28, 2017, the DSE data shows.
The IFAD Autos came next, with shares worth Tk 152 million changing hands. The company's share price closed at Tk 131.70, advancing 1.46 per cent over the previous day.
National Bank clinched the third spot, with shares worth Tk 147 million changing hands. The bank's share price advanced 3.15 per cent to close at Tk 13.10.
Grameenphone emerged fourth with shares worth Tk 134 million changing hands. The largest market cap listed company's share price closed at Tk 487.70, advancing 0.91 per cent over the previous day.
Golden Harvest Agro saw its shares worth Tk 119 million change hands. The company's share price rose 2.08 per cent to close at Tk 44.10.
The turnover of Deshbandhu Polymer was Tk 93 million. Each share of the company, which promoted in "A" category from "Z" category, closed at Tk 23.90, soaring 5.28 per cent.
BD Thai Aluminium featured a turnover of Tk 88 million. The company's share price advanced 0.65 per cent to close at Tk 30.60.
The turnover of Western Marine Shipyard was Tk 73 million. The company's share price gained 5.0 per cent to close at Tk 31.50.
Paramount Textile featured a turnover of Tk 70 million. The textile company's share closed at Tk 45.70, advancing 1.56 per cent over the previous session.
National Tubes also found its way to the top ten turnover chart, with shares worth Tk 68 million changing hands. The state-run company's share price rose 3.31 per cent to close at Tk 137.20.
