DSEX falls

The benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) fell yesterday just a day after posting a rise as investors opted to book profits by selling off shares.

The DSEX, the major index of the country's premier bourse, dropped 1.82 points, or 0.03 percent, from that on the day prior to settle at 5,483.14.

Similarly, the DSES, the index that represents Shariah-based companies, slipped 1.57 points, or 0.13 percent, to 1,201.86.

However, the DS30, an index comprised of blue-chip stocks, edged up 17.08 points, or 0.88 percent, to 1,961.37.

The day's turnover, meaning the total value of shares that changed hands, decreased 14.77 percent to Tk 564 crore.

Taufika Foods and Lovello Ice-cream were the most-traded scrips, with a combined turnover of Tk 23.3 crore, followed by DBH Finance, Orion Infusion and NRB Bank.

Turnover at the block market, meaning high volume transactions of privately negotiated securities outside the open market, stood at Tk 50.6 crore, representing 9 percent of the day's total turnover.

Shares of blue-chip companies such as Kohinoor Chemicals, Grameenphone, Square Pharmaceuticals, BRAC Bank, Renata, Eastern Bank, Pubali Bank, DBH Finance, City Bank, and BAT Bangladesh performed well.

Kohinoor Chemicals topped the list of blue-chip companies with the highest gains, rising 3.61 percent.

However, Beximco Pharmaceuticals, Beacon Pharmaceuticals, Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag Industries, Heidelberg Materials Bangladesh PLC, Prime Bank, Linde Bangladesh, Singer Bangladesh, Taufika Foods and Lovello Ice-cream, Orion Pharma and Premier Cement Mills showcased a negative performance.

Beximco Pharmaceuticals shed the most, losing 4.32 percent.

Overall, NRB Bank and Techno Drug dominated the gainers' chart with a rise of 10 percent each.

Rangpur Foundry, Libra Infusions, Kohinoor Chemicals, Sena Kalyan Insurance Company, DBH Finance and Ambee Pharmaceuticals were also on the gainers' list.

Prime Textile Spinning Mills shed the most, losing 2.99 percent, followed by Rupali Life Insurance Company, IT Consultants, Heidelberg Materials Bangladesh PLC and Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag Industries.

Of the issues that changed hands, 121 ended higher, 221 declined, and 55 did not see any price fluctuations.

Market capitalisation, meaning the total value of a company's shares at present, decreased for paper and printing, life insurance and jute scrips, according to the daily market update by Shanta Securities.

However, it rose for banks, travel and leisure and financial institutions.

A positive performance was posted by most of the sectors which account for large amounts in market capitalisation.

Among them, non-bank financial institutions booked the highest gain of 2.22 percent followed by engineering, telecommunication and banks at 1.82 percent, 1.12 percent and 1.01 percent respectively.

The pharmaceuticals sector registered a 0.36 percent gain, food and allied 0.12 percent, and fuel and power 0.31 percent.