Dhaka stocks climb for 7th straight session on large-cap appetite

Dhaka's capital market extended its winning streak to a seventh consecutive session on Tuesday - a run that began before the Eid vacation - driven by sustained buying in large-cap stocks as investor confidence in near-term prospects remained firm.
Political pledges toward capital market development and the prospect of easing geopolitical pressures continued to draw fresh accumulation into attractively valued equities.
Financial institution stocks led the market rally on Tuesday. Shares of BRAC Bank, IDLC, Pubali Bank, LankaBangla Finance, Prime Bank, Jamuna Bank and Trust Bank collectively contributed around 11.5 points to the benchmark index's gain.
The DSEX, the benchmark index of the premier bourse, rose 33.57 points, or 0.62 per cent, to close at 5,406 - its highest level in three months. The index has gained about 203 points over the past seven trading sessions.
The DS30 index, comprising leading blue-chip companies, advanced 5.2 points to 2,049, while the DSES index, which tracks Shariah-based stocks, gained 2.86 points to 1,089.
According to EBL Securities, sustained interest in selective high-momentum stocks with perceived upside potential continued to drive the market upward.
Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury recently reiterated the government's commitment to reforming the financial sector, saying political appointments in banks, regulatory bodies and financial institutions would no longer be allowed.
"In the next two months, you will see changes in the capital market," the minister said at a seminar before Eid.
"We will undertake all necessary deregulation measures for the market."
On Tuesday, market participation remained strong, with turnover on the DSE rising to Tk 10.80 billion, compared with Tk 9.12 billion in the previous session. The daily turnover was the highest in three weeks.
Gainers outnumbered losers on the DSE floor. Of the 393 issues traded, 230 closed higher and 116 ended lower, while 47 remained unchanged.
Major sectors posted positive performance. The general insurance sector posted the highest gain of 2.4 per cent, followed by tannery, cement, financial institution, services and banking sectors.
BRAC Bank became the most-traded stock, with shares worth Tk 394.2 million changing hands, closely followed by Jamuna Bank, Asiatic Laboratories, City Bank and BD Thai Food & Beverage Ltd.
The Chittagong Stock Exchange also ended higher, with its All Shares Price Index (CASPI) rising 110 points to 15,081, while the Selective Categories Index (CSCX) surged 62 points to 9,277.