Dhaka stocks finished slightly lower Thursday amid volatile trading shocked mainly by the uncertainty and anxiety created over the BDR mutiny across the country.
The market fluctuated throughout the session as the main index opened on an upbeat mood but lost more than 26 points in the first half an hour. From around mid session, it started to recover some points.
"The investors' presence was thin at the trading chambers of the brokerage houses. Most of them executed trading over the phone," a stockbroker said adding that investors concentrated on the incident rather than trading.
The DSE (Dhaka Stock Exchange) General Index (DGEN) -- benchmark index-- closed at 2570.96 with a slight drop of 10.15 points. All Shares Price Index (DSI) ended at 2144.28 with a fall of 5.76 points. DSE-20 comprising blue chips finished at 2085.93 with a loss of 16.11 points.
"The market felt heat of the fierce mutiny incident but did not get panicky today," said Sheikh Mortuza Ahmed, head of Merchant Banking Division of the Prime Bank Ltd.
Despite being anxious over the BDR mutiny, the investors did not rush for panic sale, showing mature behaviour in the last two days, he added.
A fierce gun battle broke out early in the morning on Wednesday inside the headquarters of Bangladesh's border security force in the capital Dhaka after the revolt by soldiers against their higher officials and mutiny spread in other units of BDR across the country on Thursday.
Gainers took a lead over the losers. Out of total 258 issues traded, 149 gained, 106 declined and three remained unchanged.
The day's total turnover came down to Tk 3.18 billion against the previous day's Tk 3.73 billion while the market capitalisation marginally decreased to Tk 999.33 trillion from Tk 1.00 trillion.
AIMS First Mutual Fund was the top turnover leader with shares worth Tk 147.28 million traded.
Other top turnover leaders were S Alam Cold Rolled Steels Limited, Beximco Pharma, Titas Gas, Summit Power, Shinepukur Ceramics Limited, Beximco, Aftab Automobiles and Grameen Scheme Two Mutual Fund.
The worst performing Z-category companies shined on the day as out of 64 traded issues, 49 advanced, 14 declined and one remained unchanged.
Among the day's top ten gainers, six came from Z-category companies. They are Rose Heaven, Modern Cement, M Hossain Garments, Monospool, Dynamic Textile and Saleh Carpet.
The top losers were Eagle Star, Modern Dyeing, Aramit Cement, Northern Insurance, Libra Infusion, Monno Stafflers, Mithun Knitting and Aramit.
