Stocks, turnover keep falling

All major indices of the stock markets in Bangladesh and turnover fell yesterday as risk-averse investors were on a selling spree amid persisting uncertainty and lower earnings reported by companies.

The DSEX, the benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), fell 26 points, or 0.42 per cent, to close at 6,307.

The DS30, the blue-chip index, shed 0.82 per cent to 2,226, while the DSES, the index representing shariah-based companies, was down 0.88 per cent to 1,377.

The market started on a positive note but the trend could not sustain after half an hour of the trading session.

The downward trend continued towards the end as investors are suffering from a confidence crisis amid poor declarations of the companies whose financial year ended in June, said International Leasing Securities in its daily market review.

"The premier bourse passed another down session as shaky investors continued their selling binge in the major sectors."

Investors also decreased their participation in the market as turnover dropped 6.9 per cent to Tk 769 crore.

"The premier bourse passed another down session as shaky investors continued their selling binge in the major sectors."

Among the sectors, travel rose 6.3 per cent, led by an 8.23 per cent gain of Sea Pearl Beach Resort & Spa and a 5.25 per cent rise by Unique Hotel & Resorts Limited.

The IT sector rose 2.7 per cent, on the back of a 6.04 per cent gain of Genex Infosys, a 5.73 per cent rise of ADN Telecom, a 5.37 per cent advance of Aamra Technologies, and a 5.25 per cent advance of Information Services Network Ltd.

Jute suffered the sharpest correction, falling 2.6 per cent. Both Jute Spinners and Sonali Aansh Industries gave up more than 2 per cent.

The general insurance sector fell 1.9 per cent and pharmaceuticals were down 1.3 per cent.

Investors were mainly focused on the pharmaceuticals, paper and IT sectors, accounting for 15.7 per cent, 13.3 per cent and 13.1 per cent of the day's turnover, respectively.

On the DSE, only 29 securities won, 86 retreated and 232 remains the same.

Chartered Life Insurance topped the gainers' list, advancing 10 per cent. Bashundhara Paper Mills and Genex Infosys also rose significantly.

Navana Pharmaceuticals witnessed the biggest fall, shedding 9.34 per cent. Bangladesh Monospool Paper Manufacturing, Sena Kalyan Insurance, Paper Processing and Packaging, and Bangladesh National Insurance were among the major losers.

Bashundhara Paper Mills was the most-traded stock on the Dhaka bourse yesterday, with its shares worth Tk 52 crore changing hands. Intraco Refueling Station, Orion Pharma, Sea Pearl Beach Resort, and KDS Accessories were in the top turnover chart.

The Caspi, the all-share price index of the Chittagong Stock Exchange, dropped 70 points, or 0.37 per cent, to close at 18,622.

Of the issues that traded on the bourse in the port city, 29 advanced, 67 declined and 128 did not show any price movement.

Turnover fell more than 41 per cent to Tk 23.67 crore.