DSEX slumps to six-week low as major sectors tumble

Stocks plummeted on Monday, after remaining positive in the past three days, as risk-averse investors went on selling binge.

Market analysts said investors were mostly on selling mode, particularly on telecommunication, banking, non-bank financial issues, taking the market index to six weeks low.

Disappointing earnings declaration of some listed companies also prompted investors for selling shares, said a leading broker.

He noted that the central bank gave nod to three new banks -- at a time when the sector is stressed for rising nonperforming loans and declining corporate governance, which also made investors cautious.

Earnings per share (EPS) of two major financial institutions -- IDLC Finance and LankaBangla Finance - slumped in 2018 compared to the previous year.

IDLC's consolidated EPS fell 6.04 per cent to Tk 5.76 for the year ended on December 31, 2018.

LankaBangla's consolidated EPS plunged 79 per cent to Tk 0.85 in 2018 as against Tk 4.15 (restated) for the previous year.

Grameenphone's share plunged 3.28 per cent to close at 377.10 on Monday. GP's share plunged 10 per cent in five days since the telecom regulator declared GP as significant market power (SMP) operator, considering its market share of above 40 per cent.

The market opened on downward trend and the negative trend continued till end of the session with no sign of reversal.

At the end of the session, DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), settled to six weeks low at 5,724, losing 51.30 points or 0.88 per cent over the previous session.

EBL Securities said, banking sector faced sale pressure ahead of earnings and dividend declaration while Bangladesh Bank's approval to three new banks made investors cautious in the sector.

Two other indices also ended lower. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, plunged 17.34 points to finish at 1987 and the DSES (Shariah) index fell 10.06 points to settle at 1,304.

Turnover, another important indicator of the market, however, rose to Tk 8.91 billion, which was nearly 23 per cent higher than the previous day's turnover of Tk 7.25 billion.

A total number of 170.175 trades were executed in the day's trading session with trading volume of 208.13 million shares and mutual fund units.

The market-cap of the DSE came down to Tk 4,130 billion, from Tk 4,165 billion in the previous day.

According to International Leasing Securities, telecom, bank, textile, financial institutions, general insurance, pharma and engineering sectors stocks the liquidation which pushed down the prime index by 51 points.

Telecommunication posted the highest loss of 3.13 per cent, followed by banking with 1.30 per cent, non-bank financial institutions 0.76 per cent, engineering 0.32 per cent, food 0.27 per cent and pharma 0.18 per cent.

The losers took a strong lead over the gainers, as out of 347 issues traded, 242 closed lower, 68 ended higher and 37 remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor.

United Power topped the day's turnover chart with 1.34 million shares worth Tk 537 million changing hands, closely followed by Fortune Shoes, Bangladesh Submarine Cable, Peninsula Chittagong and Alif Industries.

The Peninsula Chittagong was the day's best performer, posting a 9.92 per cent gain while Imam Button was the worst loser, plunging by 10 per cent.

The port city bourse Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also ended lower with the CSE All Share Price Index - CASPI - losing 112 points to settle at 17,541 while the Selective Categories Index - CSCX -shedding 70 points to finish at 10,614.

Here too, the losers beat the gainers as 177 issues ended lower, 69 closed higher and 23 remained unchanged.

The port city bourse traded 9.43 million shares and mutual fund units worth more than Tk 344 million in turnover.

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