Stocks decline for sixth day
The broad index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) fell for the sixth successive day yesterday.
The DSEX, the benchmark index of the country's premier bourse, slid by 6.06 points, or 0.10 percent, to close the day at 5,968 points.
The DSES, which represents shariah-based firms, slipped by 1.02 points, or 0.07 percent, to 1,299 points while the DS30, which comprises blue-chip stocks, lost 4.98 points, or 0.24 percent, to 2,051 points.
The market movement was driven by negative changes in the market cap of paper and printing, life insurance, and bank scrips amid positive changes in the market cap of travel and leisure, telecommunication, and fuel and power scrips, according to the daily market update of Shanta Securities.
Turnover, which indicates the volume of shares traded during the session, slumped 6.48 percent from the day prior to Tk 514 crore.
Golden Son topped the turnover list, rising 1.75 percent, followed by SS Steel with 1.25 percent, while Fu-Wang Ceramic Industries shed 5.22 percent, and Orion Infusion lost 1.22 percent.
Total block market turnover stood at Tk 31.5 crore, accounting for 6.1 percent of the day's total turnover.
Of the issues traded on the DSE, 165 advanced, 171 declined and 58 remained unchanged.
Asiatic Laboratories took pole position on the top gainers' chart with a rise of 9.91 percent followed by Lub-rref (Bangladesh) and Golden Harvest Agro Industries with 9.83 percent and 9.71 percent respectively.
The three were followed by Oimex Electrode and Peoples Leasing and Financial Services with gains of more than 9 percent each.
International Leasing and Financial Services, Bangladesh Building Systems, Dominage Steel Building Systems, Crystal Insurance Company and Associated Oxygen were also on the top gainers' list.
Karnaphuli Insurance Company shed the most, losing 7.92 percent, followed by Khulna Printing and Packaging and Fu-Wang Ceramic Industries with losses of 6.16 percent and 5.22 percent respectively.
ICB Islamic Bank, Aftab Automobiles, Monno Fabrics, Padma Islami Life Insurance and Aramit Limited were also on the losers' list, shedding more than 4 percent each.
The Caspi, the all-share price index of Chittagong Stock Exchange, also edged down by 0.55 points, or 0.04 percent, to close the day at 1,209 points.