Dhaka stocks wrapped up the week almost flat yesterday, with the majority of securities closing up.
The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSE General Index, rose 2.48 points, or 0.08 percent, to 2838.54 points, while the DSE All Share Price Index increased 1.25 points, or 0.05 percent, to 2396.8 points.
Of the 227 issues traded on the premier bourse, 112 advanced, 99 declined and 16 remained unchanged.
The market held steady -- a usual phenomenon in the stock market before the Eid, as investors especially the retailers cashed in money ahead of the festival, said a broker.
Institutional investors remained less active.
The market started on an upbeat note as it gained quick 18 points in the opening 30 minutes. It witnessed a slow movement in the following 90 minutes as it lost only about 2 points. Some profit-taking took place and the market lost about 8 points in the next 30 minutes.
The remaining one hour was relatively slow and the market lost just a few points. The DGEN ended the day with only 2.5 points higher than the previous day.
Most banks lost yesterday, while the non-banking financial institutions ended mixed.
Most mutual funds, fuel and power, and insurance companies gained.
Turnover declined to Tk 311.55 crore from the previous day's Tk 348.59 crore. A total of 2,91,93,790 shares traded on the DSE.
Total market capitalisation, however, rose to Tk 99,100.55 crore from the previous day's Tk 99,059.85 crore.
Titas Gas topped the turnover list with 6,52,250 traded shares worth Tk 33.33 crore.
The day's other turnover leaders were AIMS 1st Mutual Fund, Grameen 1 Scheme 2, ICB 2nd NRB Mutual Fund, Beximco Pharma, Grameen One Mutual Fund, Beximco, ACI, Delta Brac Housing and Meghna Life Insurance.
Chittagong stocks finished up. The CSE Selective Categories Index increased 13.43 points, or 0.23 percent, to 5655.18 points. The CSE All Share Price Index gained 18.79 points, or 0.21 percent, to 8663.12 points.
A total of 67,78,225 shares worth Tk 59.44 crore changed hands on the port city bourse. Of the 131 traded issues, 71 gained, 54 declined and six remained unchanged.