Dhaka stocks slip again

Dhaka stocks closed lower today, snapping a two-day winning streak, even as investor activity picked up pace with higher turnover.

The DSEX, the benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, inched down 6.58 points, or 0.12 percent, to close at 5,448.83.

The Shariah-compliant DSES managed a marginal gain of 0.05 percent to 1,190.22, while the DS30, which tracks blue-chip shares, fell 0.23 percent to 2,122.71.

Turnover, a key indicator of market participation, rose to Tk 1,247.68 crore from Tk 1,177.76 crore in the previous session, signalling higher investor activity despite the index drop.

A total of 319,606 trades were executed, with block transactions worth Tk 19 crore across 43 scrips.

Market breadth was negative, with 137 issues advancing, 215 declining, and 45 remaining unchanged.

Among A-category stocks, 66 gained, 124 lost, and 28 were flat.

In the B-category, 48 rose and 33 fell, while the N-category saw no change.

Segment-wise, the picture was mixed. Mutual funds had four gainers against 13 losers. Corporate bonds saw one issue advance, while the government bond market remained inactive.

On the individual front, Energypac Power Generation rose the most with a 10 percent jump, topping the gainers' list.

At the other end, FAS Finance & Investment Co slumped by 10 percent, making it the day's worst performer.