Stocks close higher, turnover down

Stocks returned to the green Thursday after previous session's correction with lower turnover as investors moved cautiously. The market started with upward trend and the positive trend  continued till the market closure amid modest see-saw, eventually ended marginally higher. At the end of the session, DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) ended at 4,598.91 points, gaining 8.77 points or 0.19 per cent from previous session. The other two indices closed into green. The DS30, comprising blue chips gained 10.40 points or 0.61 per cent to close at 1,703.15 points. The DSE Index (DSES) went up by 2.00 points or 0.19 per cent to close at 1,034.93 points. Turnover value on the DSE stood at Tk 4.44 billion, registering 16.22 per cent decline over the previous day’s value of Tk 5.30 billion. The gainers took a marginal lead over the losers as out of 285 issues traded, 161 advanced, 90 declined and 34 issues closed unchanged on the DSE floor. Lafarge Surma Cement became the top turnover leaders with shares worth Tk 499.16 million changing hands followed by Meghna Petroleum, Olympic Industries, Padma Oil and GP. AFC Agro was the day’s highest gainer; posting a rise of 9.87 per cent while Jamuna Bank was the day’s worst losers, slumping by 13.72 per cent following its price adjustment after record date. The port city bourse - Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE)-- also closed higher with its Selective Categories Index --- CSCX-- gained 35.73 points to stand at 8,868.71 points. Gainers beat losers 111 to 76, with 25 issues remaining unchanged at the port city bourse that traded 7.30 million shares and mutual fund units, turnover value of Tk 346.10 million.