Dhaka stocks' turnover hits seven-month high

Turnover at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) increased 22 per cent from the previous day and rose to almost Tk 1,200 crore today after a break of nearly seven months.

However, the DSEX, the benchmark index of the DSE, fell 6 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 6,339. The DS30, the blue-chip index, dropped 0.21 per cent to 2,198 and the DSES, the shariah-compliant index, up 0.09 per cent to 1,376.

DSE's turnover, an important indicator of the market, ended at Tk 1,198 crore today, up from yesterday's Tk 976 crore.

Of the traded securities, 64 advanced, 115 declined and 182 did not show any price movement.

Agni Systems increased the most posting a 10 per cent rise followed by Trust Islami Life Insurance that rose 9.94 per cent, ADN Telecom 9.93 per cent, Pragati Life Insurance 9.07 per cent and Northern Insurance 8.74 per cent.

Eastern Insurance topped the list of losers by shedding more than 9 per cent. Jute Spinners, Islami Commercial Insurance, Metro Spinning, and Prime Islami Life Insurance suffered substantial losses as well.

Bashundhara Paper Mills was the most-traded stock on the day with its shares worth Tk 50 crore transacted. Stocks of Intraco Refueling Station, Navana Pharmaceuticals, Genex Infosys, and Lafarge-Holcim Bangladesh also traded significantly.

The stocks on the Chittagong Stock Exchange also fell today. The Caspi, the all-share price index of the bourse in the port city, dropped 6 points, or 0.03 per cent to close at 18,714.

Of the issues, 62 rose, 73 retreated and 94 did not see any price movement.

The Chattogram bourse's turnover, however, edged up 23 per cent to Tk 19 crore from the previous day's Tk 14 crore.