Stocks return to red amid choppy trading

Stocks returned to the red on Thursday after previous sessions’ upturn with turnover falling further as investors followed cautious stance. DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) ended at 5,285.83 points, shedding 29.27 points or 0.55 per cent after witnessing volatility throughout the session. The two other indices also closed in the red. The DS30, comprising blue chips, lost 4.29 points or 0.21 per cent to close at 1,997.79 points. The DSE Shariah Index dropped 6.31 points or 0.50 per cent to close at 1,242.46 points. The total turnover on DSE came down to Tk 8.14 billion, registering a decline of 16.5 per cent over the previous session’s value of Tk 9.75 billion. Losers outpaced gainers as out of 303 issues traded, 187 declined, 88 advanced and 28 remained unchanged on the DSE floor. Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) was the day’s most traded stocks with shares worth Tk 394.28 million changing hands followed by Titas Gas, Square Pharma, MJL BD and Bangladesh Building Systems. DESCO was also the day’s highest gainer, posting a rise of 9.59 per cent while Fu-Wang Food was the day’s worst losers, losing 5.37 per cent. The total market capitalization on DSE stood at Tk 3,467.62 billion against Tk 3,477.65 billion billion in the previous session.The port city bourse, Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also closed in the red with its Selective Categories Index – CSCX – lost 47.78 points to close at 9,911.93 points. Losers beat gainers 158 to 51, with 16 issues remaining unchanged at the port city bourse that traded 14.96 million shares and mutual fund units with turnover value of Tk 566.46 million.