Stocks ended the week marginally higher, snapping a two-week losing streak as bargain hunters rushed to accumulate oversold shares, helping the benchmark index regain footing after a period of sustained bearish pressure.
DSEX, the benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), settled at 5,245 points on Thursday, registering an increase of 11 points or 0.21 per cent, a modest but psychologically significant recovery. The index had shed 65 points over the previous two sessions.
Market analysts said opportunistic investors targeted fundamentally strong large-cap stocks at attractive valuations, supporting the rebound despite an overall cautious sentiment.
Throughout the week, trading was driven by a mix of earnings expectations, selective sector rotation and geopolitical uncertainty, particularly concerns over ongoing tensions in the Middle East, which kept many investors on the sidelines.
The week began on a weak note, extending the previous losing streak through the first two trading sessions amid inflationary pressure and energy price volatility.
However, sentiment shifted notably from Wednesday onward as investors moved to accumulate beaten-down stocks, particularly in the banking sector ahead of quarterly earnings disclosures.
Early results from major lenders showed year-on-year profit improvement, bolstered by higher income from investments in government securities. The positive earnings momentum provided a catalyst for renewed buying interest and helped lift broader market sentiment.
In its weekly market review, EBL Securities described the week as a tug-of-war between cautious sentiment and opportunistic buying, with investors operating in a market lacking a strong directional catalyst.
The DS30 index, which tracks blue-chip companies, fell by 20 points to 1,982, reflecting weakness in major heavyweight stocks.
Square Pharmaceuticals, BAT Bangladesh, Bank Asia, City Bank, and LafargeHolcim are among the major blue-chip shares, which collectively dragged the index lower.
On the other hand, index support came from selective gainers such as Walton Hi-Tech Industries, Daffodil Computers, BBS Cables, Rangpur Dairy Food, and Asiatic Laboratories, which together contributed around 10 points to the benchmark index.
Market liquidity showed mild improvement during the week. Total turnover on the prime bourse stood at Tk 43.97 billion, compared to Tk 41.51 billion in the previous week.
As a result, average daily turnover rose by 6 per cent to Tk 8.79 billion.
Sector-wise, the general insurance sector led turnover, accounting for 14 per cent of the week's total turnover, followed by engineering (13 per cent) and textiles (12.5 per cent).
Market breadth remained positive, with 205 issues advancing against 145 declining and 40 remaining unchanged out of 390 securities traded on the Dhaka bourse.
Among major sectors, non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) posted the strongest gain of 4 per cent, followed by general insurance, textiles, and engineering. In contrast, telecom, banking, food, and pharmaceuticals sectors ended the week in negative territory.
BRAC Bank topped the turnover chart with Tk 3.71 billion in traded value, driven largely by a significant block transaction earlier in the week. On Tuesday, a large block trade involving 45.3 million shares worth Tk 3.35 billion changed hands, marking one of the week's most notable transactions.
It was followed by Dominage Steel Building Systems, Monno Ceramic, NCC Bank, and Asiatic Laboratories among the most actively traded stocks.
The Chittagong bourse also closed marginally higher. The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) All Shares Price Index (CASPI) rose 13 points to 14,715, while the Selective Categories Index (CSCX) increased 16 points to 9,064.
Total turnover on the port city bourse stood at Tk 1.10 billion, with 21.55 million shares and mutual fund units changing hands during the week.
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