Stocks return to black

Key indices with the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) returned to the black yesterday just after falling for a single session the previous day.

The DSEX, the benchmark index of the DSE, rose 13 points, or 0.20 per cent, to 6,345.

The DS30, the blue-chip index, advanced 0.18 per cent to 2,202 and the DSES, the shariah-compliant index, up 0.43 per cent to 1,375. However, turnover, an important indicator of the market, declined 16 per cent from the previous day to hit Tk 976 crore.

Of the traded securities, 93 advanced, 86 declined and 195 did not show any price movement.

Alif Industries increased mostly by gaining 9.98 per cent followed by Meghna Pet Industries that rose 9.97 per cent, Legacy Footwear 9.95 per cent, Navana Pharmaceuticals 9.93 per cent and Imam Button 9.92 per cent.

Trust Bank topped the list of losers by shedding more than 9.16 per cent. Desh General Insurance, Agrani Insurance, Dhaka Insurance, and Continental Insurance suffered substantial losses as well.

Lafarge-Holcim Bangladesh was the most-traded stock on the day with its shares worth Tk 46 crore transacted. Stocks of Intraco Refueling Station, Navana Pharmaceuticals, Unique Hotel, and Rupali Life Insurance also traded significantly.

The stocks on the Chittagong Stock Exchange also rose yesterday. The Caspi, the all-share price index of the bourse in the port city, rose 39 points, or 0.21 per cent to close at 18,721.

Of the issues, 72 rose, 59 retreated and 108 did not see any price movement. The Chattogram bourse's turnover, however, edged up 14 per cent to Tk 16.16 crore from the previous day's Tk 14.15 crore.