Stocks end lower amid choppy trading

Stocks ended lower back-to-back session Monday with declining turnover as the investors remained in selling mood amid countrywide strike. At the end of the session, DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) ended at 5,065.14 points, shedding 40.07 points or 0.78 per cent. The other two indices also closed in the red. The DS30, comprising blue chips lost 24.29 points or 1.26 per cent to close at 1,893.79 points. The DSE Shariah Index declined 9.62 points or 0.79 per cent to close at 1,195.10 points. The total turnover on DSE came down to Tk 6.80 billion, which was 7.10 per cent lower over the previous session’s value of Tk 7.32 billion. The losers took a lead over the gainers as out of 308 issues traded, 147 declined, 131 advanced and 30 remained unchanged on the DSE floor. The total market capitalisation of the DSE stood at Tk 3,373.15 billion against Tk 3,398.76 billion in the previous session. Western Marine Shipyard, which made debut Sunday, was the most traded stock for the second day with shares worth Tk 372.93 million changing hands followed by Keya Cosmetics, KPCL, GP and Summit Power. Prime Life Insurance was the day’s highest gainer, posting a rise of 10 per cent while Saif Powertec was the day’s worst loser, slumping by 7.07 cent. The port city bourse, Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also closed lower with its Selective Categories Index – CSCX – lost 47.40 points to close at 9,504.82 points. Losers beat gainers 130 to 81, with 17 issues remaining unchanged at the port city bourse that traded 13.36 million shares and mutual fund units with turnover value of Tk 548.71 million.