Stocks inched higher on Tuesday, with turnover on the Dhaka bourse hitting 10-week high, as late selling pressure cut early gains.
After rising more than 30 points in the morning, DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), settled at 5,345, advancing only 3.66 points.
Brokers said some investors showed their buying appetite on sector-specific stocks while some preferred to book quick gains, taking the market in the flat territory.
Presence of the investors on the trading floors also increased to some extent as many of them returned to Dhaka after enjoying Eid holidays in rural areas.
Two other indices of the DSE also edged higher. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips saw fractional gain of 0.61 point to finish at 1,942 and the DSE Shariah index advanced 1.42 points to close at 1,240.
Turnover, an important indicator of the market, rose to Tk 6.35 billion, which was 31 per cent higher than the previous day's Tk 4.85 billion.
Tuesday's turnover was the highest single-day transactions in two and a half months since April 10, when turnover recorded Tk 7.10 billion.
However, block trade contributed more than Tk 564 million to the day's total turnover.
Stocks like Square Pharmaceuticals, Renata, Grameenphone and Delta Brac Housing Finance dominated the block trade board.
International Leasing Securities said engineering, cement and fuel & power sectors enticed the investors most while financial institution, food and miscellaneous sectors witnessed selling pressure.
Accordingly, engineering posted the highest gain of 1.39 per cent, followed by power with 0.92 per cent and telecommunication 0.16 per cent.
The financial institutions witnessed the highest loss of 1.63 per cent, followed by food & allied 0.80 per cent, pharmaceuticals 0.18 per cent and banking 0.15 per cent.
Of the traded issues, 145 closed higher, 144 closed lower and 51 remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor.
Alif Industries was the most traded stocks on the DSE turnover chart for the two consecutive sessions with shares worth Tk 309 million changing hands. It was closely followed by Khulna Power Company, Pharma Aids, United Power and Monno Ceramic Industries.
Western Marine Shipyard was the day's highest gainer, posting a gain of 10 per cent while Zeal Bangla Sugar Mills was the worst loser, losing 7.45 per cent.
The port city's bourse CSE also ended marginally higher with its CSE All Share Price Index - CAPSI-advancing 30 points to settle at 16,484.
CSCX, the Selective Categories Index, also gained 19 points to finish at 9,968.
The gainers beat the losers as 118 issues closed higher, 84 ended lower and 22 issues remained unchanged on the CSE.
The port city's bourse traded 4.99 million shares and mutual fund units worth more than Tk 176 million in turnover.
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