Stocks edge higher for second day

Stocks edged higher for the second running sessions on Wednesday with turnover improving slightly as investors went for buying spree amid optimism. The market opened with a positive note and the upward trend sustained throughout the session amid marginal see-saw movement. DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), went up by 14.48 points or 0.32 per
cent to settle at 4,579.73. The two other indices also closed in the positive zone. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, gained 2.02 points or 0.11 per cent to close at 1,784.17. The DSE Shariah Index (DSES) advanced 6.09 points or 0.54 per cent to end at 1,126.38. Turnover stood at Tk 4.95 billion on the main bourse, which was 2.1 per cent higher than the previous day’s Tk 4.85 billion. The gainers took a marginal lead over the losers as out of 318 issues traded, 163 advanced, 118 declined and 37 remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor. Grameenphone (GP) was the day’s top turnover leader with shares worth Tk 208.46 million changing hands followed by Beximco Pharma, Beximco, ACI and IFAD Autos. Aramit Cement was the day’s best performer, posting a rise of 10 per cent while Standard Ceramics was the day’s worst loser, plunging by 8.07 per cent. The port city bourse Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also ended higher with its Selective Categories Index – CSCX – gained 47.46 points to close at 8,595. Gainers beat losers 124 to 85, with 42 issues remaining unchanged at the port city bourse that traded 14 million shares and mutual fund units with turnover of Tk 411 million.