Stock turnover hits one-year low

Stocks continued to suffer massively for the consecutive fourth session, as general investors’ confidence has been downed and institutional investors are also in hands-off position.

DSEX, the benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), declined 57.14 points or 1.07 percent, finishing the day at 5,261.60. The index has lost 198.31 points in the last four trading days.

Market insiders said most of the institutional investors are suffering from liquidity crunch so they can’t invest in the market. On the other hand, recent market fall have created a fright of further fall so general investors are also losing confidence to invest.

In protest of the recent fall, general investors stated a demonstration today in front of the DSE building in the capital. Investors said lower performance from listed companies and lower monitoring from the stock market regulator has intensified the recent fall. So they urged resignation of the chairman from the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission.

Turnover, another important indicator of the market, also dropped 24.89 percent to Tk 274.83 crore, which is one-year low, with 6.40 crore shares and mutual fund units changing hands on the DSE.

Of the traded issues, 64 advanced and 231 declined with 53 securities closing unchanged on the premier bourse.

Grameenphone dominated the turnover chart with 4.90 lakh shares worth Tk 17.57 crore changing hands, followed by Monno Ceramics, Fortune Shoes, Reckitt Benckiser and United Power Generation.

Rupali Life Insurance was the day’s best performer with 9.96 percent gains, while Heidelberg Cement was the worst loser, shedding 16.45 percent.

Chittagong stocks also fell today with the bourse’s benchmark index, CSCX, declining 99.49 points or 1 per cent to finish the day at 9,779.74.

Losers beat gainers as 141 declined and 55 advanced, while 34 finished unchanged on the Chittagong Stock Exchange. The port city bourse traded 37.21 lakh shares and mutual fund units worth Tk 12.10 crore.