Stocks extended the gaining spell for the fifth straight session on Monday as investors showed their buying appetite on large-cap shares amid expectations after the national elections.
DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), settled at 5,300, advancing 18.31 points or 0.34 per cent over the previous day.
DSEX added more than 81 points in the past five consecutive trading sessions.
Market insiders said some investors anticipated that the market would be better after the national elections scheduled on December 30.
They said the securities regulator's recent move on margin accounts, lucrative price levels coupled with post-election expectations kept the index upturn.
However, a leading broker said, trading activities remained below Tk 4.0 billion as some investors adopted 'wait-and-see' stance amid growing political clashes surrounding national elections.
Only two trading sessions are left in the outgoing calendar year 2018.
The bourses will remain closed five days due to Christmas Day (December 25), national elections (December 30), Bank holiday (December 31) and weekly holidays (December 28, 29).
The two other indices edged higher. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, advanced 4.0 points to finish at 1,854 and the DSES (Shariah) index gained 4.59 points to settle at 1,218.
The financial institutions posted the highest gain of 1.60 per cent, followed by banking with 0.60 per cent, food 0.50 per cent, pharmaceuticals 0.40 per cent and telecommunication 0.30 per cent.
Turnover slightly rose to Tk 3.57 billion, which was Tk 3.54 billion in the previous day.
A total number of 96,777 trades were executed in the day's trading session with trading volume of 94.49 million shares and mutual fund units.
The market cap of DSE increased to Tk 3,831 billion which was Tk 3,819 billion in the previous day.
The gainers took a modest lead over the losers as out of 342 issues traded, 177 closed higher, 127 ended lower and 38 issues remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor.
Khulna Power Company topped the day's turnover chart with shares worth Tk 181 million changing hands, closely followed by Square Pharmaceuticals, IFAD Autos, Brac Bank and BDCOM Online.
BDCOM Online was the day's best performer, posting a gain of 8.73 per cent while Pragati Insurance was the day's worst loser, shedding 5.41 per cent.
The port city bourse CSE edged higher with the CSE All Share Price Index - CASPI - gaining 24 points to settle at 16,222 while the Selective Categories Index - CSCX -advancing 12 points to finish at 9,811.
Here too, the gainers beat the losers as 109 issues closed higher, 83 ended higher and 38 remained unchanged.
The port city bourse traded 6.89 million shares and mutual fund units worth Tk 325 million in turnover.
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