Indices of the stock markets in Bangladesh fell yesterday after a three-day rise last week as investors were cautious in trading shares, seeking to wait out earnings disclosures by corporates before undertaking any major move.

Investors were optimistic about the return of good governance as the interim government is implementing a raft of measures to bring about reforms in the overall financial sector, especially the capital market.

The DSEX, the benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), plunged 14.74 points, or 0.26 percent, from that on the day prior to close at 5,711.

However, the DSES, the index that represents the Shariah-based companies, ticked up 1 points or 0.08 percent to 1,246.

The DS30 index for the blue-chip firms slipped 15.22 points, or 0.72 percent, to 2,085.

At Chittagong Stock Exchange, the CASPI, the broad index of the city port bourse, edged down by 21.30 points, or 0.13 percent, to settle at 16,118.

Of the issues that changed hands at the DSE, prices of 169 went up, 182 closed lower and 46 did not witness any price swings.

Turnover at the DSE, meaning the total value of the shares traded on the day, decreased by 8.79 percent to Tk 669 crore.

The pharmaceuticals sector dominated over the day's total, accounting for 14.25 percent.

Block trades, meaning large-volume securities transactions negotiated and executed privately, contributed another 5.6 percent.

Linde Bangladesh was the most traded share with a turnover of Tk 42.3 crore.

Most sectors which account for large amounts in market capitalisation, which is the total value of a company's outstanding shares, posted a negative performance, according to the daily market update by BRAC EPL Stock Brokerage.

Food and allied experienced the highest loss of 1.35 percent followed by pharmaceuticals (0.91 percent), non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) (0.82 percent), banks (0.69 percent) and fuel and power (0.18 percent).

However, telecommunication logged a gain of 0.35 percent while engineering 0.92 percent.

Among the sectors, travel and leisure, paper and printing, and life insurance were the top three sectors that closed in the positive.