Business Desk :
The stock market edged higher on Thursday, extending the gaining streak for the three consecutive sessions, as some investors kept their buying interest on selective stocks based on quarterly reports.
The market started on a positive trend but fell sharply in the mid-session. However, late hours’ buying spree helped the index slightly higher.
DSEX, the benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), went up by 6.76 points or 0.09 per cent to settle at 7,023. DSEX added around 97 in the past three trading days.
The DSE Shariah Index also saw a fractional gain of 0.25 point to close at 1,504. However, the DS30 index, comprising blue chips, fell 0.42 point to finish at 2,592.
Turnover, an important indicator of the market, was almost the same and amounted to Tk 12.61 billion, which was Tk 12.66 billion in the previous day.
Market insiders said the optimistic investors continued to show their buying interest in sector-wise stocks, keeping the market index in the positive terrain.
Investors hope that the economic activities of the country will continue as usual riding on favourable macroeconomic indicators, according to a merchant banker.
Losers, however, took a modest lead over the gainers, as out of 380 issues traded, 172 declined, 166 advanced and 42 issues remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor.
A total number of 229,453 trades were executed in the day’s trading session with a trading volume of 296.63 million shares and mutual fund units.
The market capitalisation of the DSE stood at Tk 5,621 billion on Thursday, up from the previous day’s mark of Tk 5,620 billion.
Beximco – the flagship company of Beximco Group- topped the turnover chart with shares worth Tk 859 million changing hands, followed by Bangladesh Building Systems (Tk 455 million), Union Bank (Tk 411 million), Fortune Shoes (Tk 386 million) and BATBC (Tk 319 million).
Nahee Aluminum Composite Panel was the day’s top gainer, posting a gain of 9.95 per cent while RAK Ceramics was the worst loser, losing 6.45 per cent.
