Stocks slipped into negative territory on Thursday after posting modest gains over the previous three sessions, as investors turned cautious.
The DSE's prime index fell 7.52 points to 4,958.99.
Cautious selling amid risk aversion outweighed selective buying in large-cap stocks. The lack of sustained buying interest capped any upside momentum, pulling the market down marginally, according to EBL Securities.
The blue-chip index DS30, comprising 30 leading companies, however, rose 4.50 points to 1,912.72, while the DSES index, representing Shariah-compliant companies, fell 1.98 points to 995.93 by the end of the trading session.
Although the market opened on a positive note and maintained upward momentum until mid-session, selling pressure
later wiped out the early gains, said EBL Securities in a market review.
Turnover, a crucial indicator of the market, stood at Tk 3.80 billion, up 2.74 per cent from the previous session.
The majority of stocks experienced correction. Of the 390 issues traded, 102 closed higher, 220 ended lower, and 68 remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor.
Square Pharmaceuticals was the most-traded stock, with shares worth Tk 191.75 million changing hands, followed by City Bank, Apex Spinning & Knitting Mills, Orion Infusion, and Malek Spinning.
Pharmaceuticals dominated turnover on Thursday, accounting for 15.5 per cent of total turnover, followed by textiles at 13.6 per cent and general insurance at 13.5 per cent.
Sectoral performance was mixed. General insurance shed 2.1 per cent, ceramics declined 1.6 per cent, and travel lost 1.1 per cent, exerting downward pressure on the market.
In contrast, the food and tannery sectors each gained 0.7 per cent, while telecom advanced 0.6 per cent.
The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) ended higher, with its All Share Price Index (CASPI) rising 5.95 points to settle at 13,922 and the Selective Categories Index (CSCX) increasing 9.22 points to settle at 8,622.
The port city bourse traded 1.04 million shares and mutual fund units, with turnover amounting to Tk 67.29 million.
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