Business Desk :
Shares on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) suffered another decline on Thursday, sending the market to more than a 15-month low, highlighting investors’ continued worry about the volatility facing the economy owing to the global crisis.
The DSEX Index, the benchmark index of the premier bourse in Bangladesh, slipped below the 6,000-mark to close at 5,980, the lowest level since June 7 last year after it lost 57 points, or 0.95 per cent.
The DSES Index, which comprises Shariah-based firms, dropped 0.88 per cent to 1,308, and the DS30 Index, which represents the blue-chip companies, gave up 0.81 per cent to end at 2,145.
Turnover fell more than 43 per cent to Tk 441 crore from a day ago.
The market opened on a steep fall and the key index slumped 75 points after two hours of trading. However, the rest of the session recovered some losses, ultimately ending over 57 points lower.
DSEX, the prime index of DSE, went down by 57.49 points or 0.95 per cent to settle at 5,980.51, the lowest since June 7, 2021.
Two other indices also tumbled. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, shed 17.60 points to finish at 2,145 and the DSE Shariah Index (DSES) lost 11.64 points to close at 1,308.
Turnover, the important indicator of the market, also fell sharply to Tk 4.42 billion, which was 43 per cent lower than the previous day’s tally of Tk 7.78 billion.
Market operators said the panic-stricken investors continued their sell-off as they feared the market might lose further amid weak macroeconomic cues.
All the sectors faced heavy sales pressure, leading to the share price erosion of about 88 per cent stocks. Out of 380 issues traded, 333 declined, 25 advanced and 22 issues remained unchanged on the DSE.
Beximco — which lost 1.30 per cent — was the most-traded stock with shares worth Tk 356 million changing hands, followed by Sonali Paper & Board Mills (197 million), Fortune Shoes (Tk 163 million), Matin Spinning (123 million) and Intraco Refueling Staions (Tk 116 million).
United Insurance was the day’s top gainer, posting a 7.54 per cent gain while First Finance was the worst loser, losing 3.63 per cent following its no dividend declarations.
The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also tumbled with the CSE All Share Price Index – CASPI -shedding 204 points to settle at 17,597 and the Selective Categories Index – CSCX -plunging 122 points to close at 10,542.
