The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) lost Tk1,400 crore in market capitalisation on Monday as persistent selling pressure dragged down 300 stocks, while turnover plunged more than 20 per cent amid subdued trading activity.
The benchmark DSEX index shed 46.2 points, or 0.8 per cent, to close at 5,405 from 5,451 in the previous session. Turnover slumped 20.4 per cent to Tk452.80 crore from Tk568.60 crore, reflecting continued weakness in investor sentiment.
Market capitalisation fell to Tk6,82,900 crore from Tk6,84,300 crore in the previous session as share prices declined across most sectors.
Selling pressure persisted throughout the session, with losers vastly outnumbering gainers. Of the 395 issues traded, 300 declined, 47 advanced and 48 remained unchanged, indicating widespread investor caution.
Trading activity also weakened. The number of trades fell 6.3 per cent to 172,658, while trading volume dropped 11.1 per cent to 16.8 crore shares from 18.9 crore shares a day earlier.
The DS30 index, which tracks blue-chip companies, declined 8.9 points to 2,095. The DSMEX index, representing small and medium enterprises, lost 14.9 points to finish at 966.
Textile stocks dominated trading, accounting for 25 per cent of total turnover, although the sector remained among those recording losses.
General insurance accounted for 10.8 per cent of turnover, followed by engineering at 9 per cent. Pharmaceutical and chemical stocks contributed 8.9 per cent, while banks made up 7.3 per cent.
Financial institutions suffered the steepest sectoral decline, falling 3.6 per cent. Mutual funds followed with a 2.9 per cent loss, while general insurance stocks shed 2.7 per cent.
Jute stocks bucked the broader market downturn, gaining 2.4 per cent to emerge as the day’s best-performing sector.
National Bank led the gainers, rising 8.33 per cent, followed by GBB Power at 8.26 per cent and Prime Textile Spinning Mills at 8.21 per cent.
Renwick Jajneswar & Co advanced 7.49 per cent, while Malek Spinning Mills gained 4.72 per cent.
Among the biggest losers, MBL First Mutual Fund plunged 9.88 per cent, followed by Phoenix Finance 1st Mutual Fund, down 9.76 per cent.
CAPM IBBL Islamic Mutual Fund declined 9.49 per cent, while Sharp Industries lost 8.67 per cent.
Evince Textiles Limited topped the turnover chart, with shares worth Tk17.12 crore changing hands, followed by Beximco at Tk15.41 crore and Sonali Aansh Industries at Tk13.29 crore.
Saiham Textile Mills recorded turnover of Tk12.59 crore, while Paramount Textile accounted for Tk10.95 crore.
The broad-based decline, coupled with shrinking turnover and trading volumes, highlighted continued weakness in investor sentiment, with selling pressure outweighing gains in a limited number of stocks and sectors.
