DSE turnover hits fresh 4-month low

Stocks witnessed a sharp decline Wednesday, a day after upturn with turnover hitting fresh four months low as investors remained reluctant to make fresh exposure amid weak sentiment. The market opened with a positive mood, but cloud not sustain. At the end of the session, DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) went down by 47.83 points or 0.99 per cent to end at 10-week low level at 4,756.61 points. The other two indices also saw sharp decline. The DS30, comprising blue chips lost 19.40 points or 1.09 per cent to close at 1,752.08 points. The DSE Shariah Index dropped 11.02 points or 0.98 per cent to close at 1,108.702 points. Turnover remained dry at DSE and amounted to Tk 3.12 billion, registering a decline of 10.08 per cent over the previous session’s Tk 3.47 billion. The losers took a lead over the gainers as out of 304 issues traded, 168 declined, 101 advanced and 35 remained unchanged on the DSE floor. Western Marine Shipyard was the most traded stock with shares worth Tk 123.41 million changing hands followed by Jamuna Oil, Lafarge Surma Cement, Meghna Cement and Keya Cosmetics. Hakkani Pulp & Paper was the day’s highest gainer, posting a rise of 5.67 per cent while Kohinoor Chemical was the day’s worst loser, slumping by 24.45 per cent following its price adjustment after record date. The port city bourse, Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also ended lower with its Selective Categories Index – CSCX – 87.60 points to close at 8,948.75 points. Losers beat gainers 152 to 44, with 22 issues remaining unchanged at the port city bourse that traded 8.16 million shares and mutual fund units with turnover value of Tk 249.09 million.