The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) edged higher on Monday as selective buying in large-cap stocks offset broader selling pressure, although turnover fell by nearly Tk104 crore as investors remained cautious over possible revisions to margin lending rules.
The benchmark DSEX added 1.9 points to close at 5,858 from 5,856 in the previous session. Turnover, however, declined 9.7 per cent to Tk966.38 crore from Tk1,070.40 crore a day earlier, reflecting a more subdued trading mood.
According to analysts, investors largely adopted a wait-and-see approach amid uncertainty over potential changes to margin regulations.
Buying interest in selected sector-specific large-cap stocks helped cushion the market’s corrective trend, but concerns that insurance stocks could be excluded from margin eligibility extended selling pressure across the sector, EBL Securities wrote in its post-closing market commentary.
Renewed tensions in the Middle East also weighed on sentiment, it added.
Textile stocks accounted for the largest 18.8 per cent share of turnover, followed by pharmaceuticals and chemicals’ 15.8 per cent separately and general insurance’s 10.6 per cent contribution to the DSE total turnover for the day.
Sectoral performance was mixed. Services led the gainers with a 2.3 per cent rise, followed by mutual funds’ 1.8 per cent and textiles’ 0.9 per cent gains.
General insurance was the worst-hit sector, falling 2.8 per cent, while jute lost 1.5 per cent and ceramics slipped 1.4 per cent.
Of the 396 issues traded, 147 advanced, 179 declined and 70 remained unchanged.
Trading volume fell to 33.30 crore shares from 35.40 crore.
Malek Spinning Mills led the turnover chart with shares worth Tk47.25 crore changing hands, followed by Techno Drugs, Summit Alliance Port, Fareast Knitting and ACI Formulations.
Among the day’s top gainers, LR Global Mutual Fund One and MBL First Mutual Fund rose 10 per cent each, followed by Sonargaon Textiles, up 9.93 per cent, NCCBL Mutual Fund-1, which gained 9.84 per cent, and Malek Spinning Mills, which advanced 9.42 per cent.
Provati Insurance was the day’s biggest loser, falling 5.75 per cent. Karnaphuli Insurance shed 5.11 per cent and United Insurance declined 4.94 per cent.
The Chittagong Stock Exchange also finished lower, with the CSCX Index falling 23.7 points and the CASPI declining 10.3 points.
