The prime bourse of Bangladesh returned to the positive yesterday after a three-day losing streak, as optimistic investors cautiously channelled funds into select stocks to secure short-term gains amid concerns over US tariff hikes.

The DSEX, the benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), edged up by 10.21 points, or 0.20 percent, from that on the preceding day before closing at 5,196.

The other two indices of the country's premier bourse posted a mixed performance.

The Shariah-compliant DSES index rose by 2.58 points, or 0.22 percent, to 1,169.

The DS30 index, which tracks blue-chip stocks, dipped by 2.89 points, or 0.15 percent, before ending at 1,921.

At the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), the CSE All-Share Price Index (CASPI), the broad index of the port city bourse, declined slightly for the first time since trading resumed on Sunday following a nine-day Eid holiday.

It shed 3.05 points, or 0.02 percent, to settle at 14,530.

Of the issues that were traded on the DSE trading floor, prices of 144 advanced, 193 declined, and 58 remained unchanged.

The day's turnover, meaning the total value of shares exchanged during the session, stood at Tk 527 crore, marking a 9.01 percent increase and suggesting an uptick in investor engagement.

The pharmaceuticals sector led the market activity, topping the turnover chart by contributing 16.28 percent of it.

Sunlife Insurance Company Limited emerged as the most-traded share, with a turnover of Tk 27.8 crore, accounting for 3.6 percent of the overall turnover.

In a daily market update, UCB Stock Brokerage reported that cement, fuel and power, and travel and leisure were the top three sectors to close in the positive.

Conversely, paper and printing, mutual fund, and textile were the top three to close in the negative.

Most large-cap sectors, meaning those with substantial market capitalisation — the total value of their shares at present — showcased a positive performance, according to a market update from BRAC EPL Stock Brokerage.

The fuel and power sector recorded the highest gain of 1.87 percent, followed by engineering (1.45 percent), food and allied (1.18 percent), non-bank financial institutions (NBFI) (0.56 percent), and telecommunication (0.20 percent).

On the other hand, the banking sector registered a slight decline of 0.15 percent, while the pharmaceuticals sector posted a loss of 0.28 percent.