Stocks extended the losing streak for the two consecutive sessions Tuesday as risk-averse investors continued their selling spree on major sectors' shares.
Market analysts said the central bank's market supportive measures which widened the banks' scope to invest in the stock market failed to increase fund flow in the capital market amid liquidity crunch in the money market.
The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission's market supportive decisions also failed to revive investors' confidence.
The risk-averse investors continued selling shares while a section of investors followed cautious stance during holy Ramadan, said leading broker.
The market opened on downward trend and the downturn continued until end of the session amid marginal volatility.
At the end of the session, DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), settled at 5,236, losing 39.29 points or 0.74 per cent over the previous session.
DSEX eroded 99 points or 1.85 per cent in the past two consecutive sessions.
EBL Securities said the prime index nosedive amid day-long selling frenzy amid lack of investors' confidence to the market.
Two other induces also finished lower. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, fell 10.58 points to finish at 1,822 and the DSE Shariah Index shed 3.93 points to close at 1,195.
Turnover, another important indicator of the market, also fell to Tk 3.51 billion, which was 9.30 per cent lower than the previous day's turnover of Tk 3.87 billion.
According to International Leasing Securities, selling of shares was witnessed mostly in telecom, bank, power, food and textile sectors which eroded the prime index by 39 points.
The banking sector booked the highest loss of 1.41 per cent, followed by telecommunication with 1.08 per cent, food 0.47 per cent, power 0.46 per cent, pharmaceuticals 0.26 per cent and financial institutions 0.05 per cent.
Only engineering sector posted 5.01 per cent gain.
The losers took a strong lead over the gainers as out of 347 issues traded, 217 declined, 87 advanced and 43 issues remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor.
A total number of 101,622 trades were executed in the day's trading session with trading volume of 108.44 million securities.
The market capitalisation of the DSE came down to Tk 3,859 billion on Tuesday, from Tk 3,871 billion in the previous session.
Runner Automobiles, which made trading debut on Tuesday, topped the turnover chart with 3.52 million shares worth Tk 354 million changing hands.
The other turnover leaders were Fortune Shoes, SK Trims Industries, Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company and Brac Bank.
Global Insurance was the day's best performer, posting a gain of 9.85 per cent while Uttara Bank was as the worst loser, losing 8.85 per cent.
The port city bourse, Chittagong Stock Exchange, also ended lower with its CSE All Share Price Index - CASPI -shedding 95 points to settle at 16,007 and the Selective Categories Index - CSCX -losing 56 points to finish at 9,691.
Here too, the losers beat gainers, as 141 issues closed lower, 66 ended higher and 31 remained unchanged on the CSE trading floor.
The port city bourse traded 16.72 million shares and mutual fund units worth Tk 360 million in turnover.
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