Dhaka stocks rebounded on Tuesday as investors returned to beaten-down shares, lifting the benchmark index 39 points and breaking a prolonged losing streak.
The DSEX, the broad index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, gained 39.2 points, or 0.7 per cent, to close at 5,637.
The recovery came as falling share prices appeared to attract bargain hunters, although investor participation remained relatively subdued amid lingering concerns over the domestic economy and the market’s near-term outlook, said analysts.
The broader recovery was reflected across the main indices.
The DS30, which tracks leading companies, rose 8.8 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 2,122, while the DSE SME Index gained 16.2 points, or 1.5 per cent, to 1,073.
Market capitalisation increased Tk2,890 crore to Tk6,97,600 crore, a 0.4 per cent rise from the previous session.
Trading activity also picked up. Turnover rose 25.1 per cent to Tk596.80 crore from Tk477.20 crore a day earlier. The number of trades increased marginally to 1,50,064 from 1,49,199, while trading volume rose 15.9 per cent to 20.6 crore shares.
The market’s breadth was firmly positive, with 300 of the 395 issues traded advancing, compared with 46 that declined and 49 that remained unchanged.
Textiles dominated trading, accounting for 27.9 per cent of total turnover. Banks followed with 12.2 per cent, while pharmaceuticals and chemicals accounted for 12 per cent.
Mutual funds posted the strongest sectoral gain, rising 4.2 per cent. General insurance advanced 2.2 per cent and information technology gained 2 per cent. Cement was the only sector to decline, slipping 0.4 per cent.
Saiham Textile Mills led turnover with Tk35.55 crore, followed by IPDC Finance with Tk34.05 crore and Saiham Cotton Mills with Tk21.73 crore.
Yeakin Polymer, Meghna Consumer Dairy, Nurani Dyeing & Sweater, Standard Bank and Apex Spinning & Knitting Industries were among the top decliners.
The sharp improvement in market breadth suggests that Tuesday’s advance was not confined to a handful of large-cap stocks. Still, with turnover remaining modest by historical standards, the rebound may reflect selective bargain hunting rather than a decisive shift in investor sentiment.
