Stocks return to red

Stocks returned to the red Monday after four sessions’ gaining streak with turnover hitting two-month low as most investors followed ‘wait-and-see’ policy amid prevailing political uncertainties. The presence of investors on the trading floor was low because of ongoing blockade along with countrywide hartal enforced by BNP-led opposition alliance. Meanwhile, the market started in a positive note in the morning but it could not sustain, eventually ended marginally lower at close.  At the end of the session, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) - DSEX went down by 17.75 points or 0.41 per cent to close at 4,296.34 points. The DS30 index, including blue chips, however closed break-even point, gaining 0.95 points or 0.06 per cent to close the session at 1,506.03 points. Turnover value on the DSE came down to Tk 3.15 billion, registering 14.96 per cent decline over the previous session’s value. It was also two-month low value since November 3, 2013. Losers beat gainers 157 to 92, with 39 issues closed unchanged on the DSE floor. Activities decreased in the prime bourse. A total of 0.086 million trades were executed with 71.62 million shares and mutual fund units were trading volume. The market capitalization of the DSE stood at Tk 2,668.39 billion against Tk 2,673.97 billion in the previous session. LankaBangla Finance dominated the top turnover chart with shares worth Tk 169.46 million changing hands followed by Golden Son, Unique Hotel & Resorts, Active Fine Chemicals and Appollo Isapat. Bangas was the day’s highest gainer, posting a rise of 7.74 per cent rise while Rahima Food was the day’s worst losers, slumping by 7.27 per cent.
The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also ended marginally lower, with its Selective Categories Index – CSCX lost 47.80 points to close at 8,430.55 points. Losers beat 150 to 42, with 17 issues remaining unchanged at the port city bourse that traded 8.68 million shares and mutual fund units, turnover value of Tk 325.05 million.