Dhaka stocks ended almost unchanged on Sunday as late selling in blue-chip shares erased early gains sparked by Bangladesh Bank’s policy rate cut, underscoring investor caution despite improving market liquidity.
The benchmark DSEX index edged up 0.20 point to 5,896.18 after briefly crossing the 5,900 mark during the session. Investors remained wary of domestic and geopolitical uncertainties, limiting buying appetite.
Trading activity strengthened, with turnover on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) rising 20.5 per cent to Tk1,257.62 crore from Tk1,043.43 crore in the previous session.
Textile stocks dominated trading, accounting for 21.4 per cent of turnover, followed by general insurance and pharmaceuticals and chemicals with 11.9 per cent each, while engineering contributed 11.3 per cent to the premier bourse’s daily turnover.
Sector performance was mixed. Mutual funds led the gainers with a 5.6 per cent rise, followed by jute at 1.6 per cent and services and real estate at 1.5 per cent. Cement and life insurance each fell 0.8 per cent, while banking declined 0.5 per cent.
Market breadth remained positive, with 192 issues advancing, 149 declining and 54 remaining unchanged out of 397 traded securities.
Malek Spinning Mills topped the turnover chart with Tk42.50 crore in traded value, followed by Dominage Steel Building Systems with Tk26.08 crore and ACI Formulations with Tk24.84 crore.
Other actively traded stocks included Asiatic Laboratories, Summit Alliance Port, Beximco, ITC, Saiham Textile, Coppertech Industries and IPDC Finance.
Green Delta Mutual Fund gained the daily maximum 10 per cent, while Prime Insurance rose 9.88 per cent and Queen South Textile Mills advanced 9.60 per cent.
On the losing side, S Alam Cold Rolled Steels dropped 7.86 per cent, and Bangladesh Industrial Finance Company fell 6.12 per cent.
