Dhaka stocks rebounded on Thursday, snapping a two-session losing streak as renewed investor confidence triggered broad-based buying amid optimism over planned capital market reforms and possible revisions to margin lending rules.
The benchmark DSEX index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) rose 33.8 points, or 0.59 per cent, to close at 5,804, reclaiming the psychologically important 5,800 level after ending at 5,770 in the previous session.
The blue-chip DS30 index gained 8.5 points to 2,178, while the SME-focused DSMEX index fell 23.1 points to 1,319.
“The market opened firmly, although early profit-taking briefly capped gains,” EBL Securities Research wrote in its post-closing market commentary.
Buying interest soon absorbed the selling pressure, driving advances across most sectors and sustaining the rally through the close, it added.
Trading activity strengthened sharply, with turnover rising 23.6 per cent to Tk1,428.5 crore from Tk1,156.1 crore a day earlier. Trading volume increased 6.1 per cent to 428 million shares, while the number of trades climbed 16.6 per cent to 324,776.
Textile companies accounted for the largest share of turnover at 15.9 per cent, narrowly ahead of general insurance at 15.8 per cent, while pharmaceuticals contributed 8.7 per cent.
Sectoral performance was broadly positive. Jute led the gains with a 5.5 per cent rise, followed by paper and printing, up 4.5 per cent, and general insurance, which advanced 3.1 per cent. Only mutual funds and telecommunications finished lower, shedding 0.7 per cent and 0.3 per cent, respectively.
Market breadth also improved, with 212 of the 396 traded securities advancing, 113 declining and 71 remaining unchanged.
Textiles and general insurance dominated trading by value, while engineering, pharmaceuticals and information technology were also among the most active sectors.
Eastern Housing topped the turnover chart with shares worth Tk39.17 crore changing hands.
Among the day’s top gainers, Zeal Bangla Sugar Mills surged 9.99 per cent, followed by Emerald Oil, Desh General Insurance, Meghna Insurance and Atlas Bangladesh. FAS Finance posted the steepest decline, falling 7.69 per cent, ahead of Intech, BIFC and Singer Bangladesh.
