Dhaka stocks ended Thursday’s session lower as investors moved to book profits following the market’s recent recovery, with selling pressure weighing on the benchmark index.
The DSEX, the broad index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), fell 17.9 points, or 0.3 per cent, to settle at 5,578, compared with 5,596 in the previous trading session. The index remained positive during the first hour but came under selling pressure thereafter, while an attempted recovery later in the session lacked strength.
Trading activity also weakened, with turnover declining 10.5 per cent to Tk756.30 crore from Tk844.70 crore in the previous session. The number of trades fell 6.9 per cent to 202,860, while trading volume declined 11.1 per cent to 23.8 crore shares.
Of the 395 issues traded, 139 advanced, 186 declined and 70 remained unchanged.
The other major indices also closed lower. The DS30, comprising leading blue-chip stocks, declined 10.6 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 2,112 from 2,123. The SME-focused DSMEX was virtually unchanged, edging down 0.2 point to 1,031.
Sector-wise, General Insurance accounted for the highest share of turnover at 17.8 per cent, followed by Textile at 16.3 per cent and Pharma and Chemicals at 13.3 per cent. In value terms, these sectors generated turnover of about Tk134.40 crore, Tk122.88 crore and Tk100.48 crore, respectively.
Most sectors recorded negative returns during the session. Travel and Ceramics each declined 1.2 per cent, while IT fell 1.1 per cent, making them the weakest-performing sectors. Mutual Funds and General Insurance each gained 2.0 per cent, posting the strongest sector returns of the day.
Among the top gainers, C & A Textiles Limited advanced 10.00 per cent, Sena Insurance PLC rose 9.97 per cent and Orion Pharma gained 9.82 per cent.
On the losing side, Saiham Textile Mills fell 6.68 per cent, Peoples Leasing and Fin. Services Ltd declined 5.56 per cent and Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag Industries Limited dropped 4.53 per cent.
Trading activity was concentrated in a number of stocks, with GQ Ball Pen Industries accounting for 4.4 per cent of total turnover, followed by IPDC Finance at 3.2 per cent, Fine Foods at 2.6 per cent, Square Pharmaceuticals at 2.5 per cent and BRAC Bank at 2.5 per cent.
Envoy Textiles, Sharp Industries, Mercantile Insurance, Saiham Textile Mills and SIPLC were also among the actively traded stocks.
