Investors continue to exercise caution

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FE Report
Trading at the Dhaka stock Exchange (DSE) ended mixed Wednesday breaking the continuous fall for the four straight days.
However, investors exercised caution amidst nominal increase in turnover.
Prices of most banking issue increased keeping the benchmark index DSE General Index (DGEN) marginally up.
Trading fluctuated during the whole session but before beginning to slip from first hour of the trade, the benchmark index climbed more than 32 points.
The benchmark and All Shares Price Index (DSI) rose by 4.85 points, 0.68 points to finish at 2625.84 and 2170.80 respectively. The DSE20 comprising blue chips shed 15.85 points to end at 2195.93.
Most of the share prices went down on the day. Of the total 243 issues traded on the day, 59 gained, 178 declined and six remained unchanged.
Share prices of the ACI Formulations Limited fell 8.09 per cent to finish at Tk 202.20 per share but it opened at Tk 250 per share while share prices of Shinepukur Ceramics Limited dropped 4.89 per cent to end at Tk 91.30 per share in their second trading day under the direct listing regulations.
There will be no trade today (Thursday) of the two above issues as per direct listing regulations.
The increase in loan margin ratio by the securities regulator failed to generate the fresh enthusiasm among the investors who preferred to be cautious about the market now under a bear run, said a market expert.
"However, there is no panic in the market right now but the confidence is not yet back," he added.
A merchant banker on condition of anonymity said, the market is facing fund shortage as the outflow of funds continues citing a dozen negative reasons behind the market's current erratic behaviour.
"The market is weighed down by some negative factors, including coming Eid-ul-Azha, the financial institutions' book-closure in the month (December) and imminent national election," he added.
The day's total turnover rose to Tk 2.49 billion against previous day's Tk 2.14 billion while the market capitalisation was Tk 962.05 billion.
Beximco Pharma was the top turnover leader with shares worth Tk 294.22 million traded. Uttara Bank, Beximco Limited, BRAC Bank, Titas Gas, Dutch-Bangla Bank, Square Pharma and AB Bank were the day's turnover leaders in terms of value.
Top gainers of the day were Dutch Bangla Bank, Samorita Hospital, Uttara Bank, Bangas, Sreepur Textiles, IFIC, Mithun Knitting, Eastern Bank, Trust Bank and BRAC Bank.
Top losers were Beximco Limited, Kohinoor Chemicals, Beximco Pharma, BD Online, Northern Jute, Dhaka Fish, Bengal Biscuits, Bionic Food, Beximco Textiles and Agni Systems Limited.