Dhaka stocks slip as cautious investors reshuffle portfolios

• DSEX slips as investors reshuffle portfolios
• Turnover edges higher despite subdued liquidity
• Pharmaceuticals dominate trades, sectors mixed overall
• Market breadth reflects cautious investor sentiment

Shares on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) ended lower last week, reversing the previous week's gains, as investors engaged in selective portfolio reallocation amid earnings and dividend disclosures.

The benchmark DSEX index shed 27.67 points, or 0.54 percent, to close at 5,122.22, according to DSE data.

Brokerage house EBL Securities noted in its weekly review that the index struggled to sustain recovery momentum, as selling pressure dominated the early sessions, driven by political and regulatory uncertainties.

"Month‑end buying pressure emerged in the latter sessions as earnings and dividend disclosures of the majority of stocks began to entice investor participation, enabling the benchmark index to partially recover from its initial losses," the review said.

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Other indices also declined. The DS30, which tracks blue‑chip stocks, and the DSES, comprising Shariah‑compliant companies, both closed in the red.

Turnover, however, showed a modest rise. Weekly turnover stood at Tk 2,286 crore, up from Tk 2,138.71 crore in the previous week.

Average daily turnover inched up 6.9 percent to Tk 457 crore, though market liquidity remained subdued.

Investor activity was concentrated in pharmaceuticals, which accounted for 11.9 percent of total turnover, followed by engineering and banking.

Sectoral performance was mixed: the travel sector gained 5.7 percent, the highest for the week, while the paper sector lost 2.4 percent, marking the steepest decline.

Market breadth reflected the cautious tone, with 179 issues declining, 177 advancing, and 36 remaining unchanged.

Clarification

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