Stocks extend gaining streak for second day

FT ONLINE

Stocks eked out some gains for second day in a row on Thursday, as optimistic investors continued their buying spree on sector-wise stocks.

Dealers said the market ended marginally higher as optimistic investors went on buying spree on sector-wise stocks amid ongoing quarterly earnings and dividend declaration.

The market started on a positive note and the upturn sustained till the end of the session amid modest volatility, finally, DSEX ended more than 11 points higher while CSE All Share Price Index gained 37 points at closing.

DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), settled at 5,814, after gaining 11.76 points or 0.20 percent over the previous session.

The two other indices also edged higher. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, advanced 5.12 points or 0.23 percent to finish at 2,172. The DSE Shariah Index (DSES) gained 1.12 points or 0.08 percent to close at 1,343.

The trading activities also increased as the total turnover amounting to Tk 5.47 billion, which was percent higher than the previous day’s turnover of Tk 4.85 billion.

The gainers took a modest lead over the losers as out of 336 issues traded, 147 closed higher, 138 closed red and 51 issues remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor.

United Power topped the turnover chart with shares worth Tk 287 million changing hands, closely followed by Beximco, Gragmeenphone, BRAC Bank and Bangladesh Steel Re-rolling Mills.

Bangladesh Steel Re-rolling Mills was the day’s best performer, posting a gain of 9.93 percent while Premier Bank was the day’s worst loser, plunging by 10.71 percent following its price adjustment after record date.

Port city’s bourse CSE also ended marginally higher with the CSE All Share Price Index – CASPI –advancing 37 points to settle at 17,931 and Selective Categories Index - CSCX –gaining 22 points to finish at 10,838 points.

The gainers and losers were same as 99 issues closed higher, 99 ended lower and 35 remained unchanged on the CSE.

The port city bourse traded 49.09 million shares and mutual fund units worth more than Tk 1.38 billion in turnover.