Stocks close flat amid sluggish trading

Stocks closed flat Wednesday with sluggish trading activities as the investors remained cautious amid gloomy market sentiment. DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) ended at 4,340.46 points, gaining 1.59 points or 0.03 per cent from previous session. The DS30, comprising blue chips gained 0.81 points or 0.05 per cent to close at 1,606.28 points. However, the DSE Shariah Index (DSES) lost 1.26 points or 0.12 per cent to close at 999.91 points. The total turnover on DSE dropped further to Tk 2.33 billion which was 11.40 per cent lower compared to previous session’s value of Tk 2.63 billion. Out of 295 issues traded, 147 advanced, 97 declined and 51 closed unchanged on the DSE floor. Lafarge Surma Cement was the most traded stocks for the third running sessions with shares worth Tk 251.26 million changing hands followed by BSRM Steels, Beximco Limited, GP and Square Pharmaceuticals. Sandhani Life Insurance was the day’s highest gainer, posting a rise of 7.19 per cent while Kohinoor Chemicals was the day’s worst loser, slumping by 7.11 per cent. The port city bourse, Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also closed flat in positive with its Selective Categories Index – CSCX – gained 11.87 points to close at 8,272.22 points. Gainers beat losers 97 to 80, with 30 issues remaining unchanged at the port city bourse that traded 6.63 million shares and mutual fund units, turnover value of Tk 410.42 million