Dhaka stocks ended flat for the third straight day on Thursday, the last trading session of the week, as shares prices of large capitalised companies plunged late in the trading session.
The benchmark general index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX, finished at 4,077.94 points, adding 0.02 per cent or 0.98 points. DS30, the blue-chip index of the bourse, lost 0.40 per cent, or 6.07 points, to close at 1,509.43 points.
The turnover of the bourse increased to Tk 565.28 crore from the previous trading session’s Tk 546.53 crore.
Among the 286 shares and mutual funds traded on the day, 163 advanced, 97 decline and 26 remained unchanged.
Market operators said that price hike of most of the shares failed to keep the market up due to the declining shares prices of the large capitalised companies.
Fall in Grameenphone’s share price was an important factor behind the day’s flat ending, they said.
A section of investors are inactive on the trading floor, observing the political situation from distance before making their next move, which is another reason behind the recent sluggishness in the market, added the operators.
If the political situation improves it will have a positive impact on the market, they said.
‘Investors’ ‘wait & see’ strategy and meticulous trading policy with market volatility amid frequent scrip wise movements put the bourse in the flat region,’ IDLC Investment said in its daily market commentary.
‘Apparent calm down in political frontier kept investors’ confidence upright. As a result, market turnover registered BDT 5,652.84 mn, highest within last eleven sessions,’ it said.
‘Mimicking the week’s psychological pattern, DSEX remained below 4,100 points level for the fifth consecutive session,’ it also said.
Heidelberg Cement led the turnover chart on the day as its shares worth Tk 38.29 crore changed hands.
Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company, Grameenphone, Olympic Industries, Signed Bangladesh, Apex Adelchi Footwear, Meghna Petroleum, United Airways, RN Spinning Mills and Active Fine Chemicals were the day’s other turnover leaders.
Rahima Food led the gainers’ list as the price of its shares increased by 10 per cent, while Midas Financing lost the most, 6.62 per cent.
-With New Age input
