Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) started the week with a positive note on Sunday as stocks nudged slightly, boosted by impressive gains by the financial institutions and insurance companies.
Traders snapped up shares of non-banking financial institutions (NBFIs) and insurance companies in droves amid speculation that the government would soon issue a statutory order to increase their paid-up capital.
The index moved up by 16 points in the opening five minutes, lifted by almost every sector. But it declined in the next two hours as banking and energy sectors fell after the initial gains. Other sectors ended mixed on the day.
The benchmark Dhaka Stock Exchange General Index (DGEN) closed 1.04 points higher or 0.03 per cent at 3002.50.
The broader All Shares Price Index (DSI) closed at 2522.37 with a gain of 1.81 points or 0.07 per cent. The DSE-20 comprising blue chips dropped 7.76 points or 0.35 per cent to end at 2156.94.
The market was dominated by gainers as out of 241 issues traded, 148 were in the positive territory, 92 in the negative and one remained unchanged.
Share turnover declined slightly to BDT 6.8 billion, a decrease of 6.8 per cent from previous session's BDT 7.42 billion.
Bextex, the sister concern of the leading industrial conglomerate Beximco Group, was back in the top of turnover list with shares worth BDT 310.02 million changing hands.
LankaBangla Finance, Beximco, Prime Finance, Titas Gas and Jamuna Oil were the other turnover leaders.
Eastland Insurance was the top gainer posting a rise of 14.95 per cent, followed by Eastern Lubricants 14.52 per cent, Modern Dyeing 12.52 per cent and BD Autocars 12.04 per cent.
BBN/SS/SI/AD-17August09-4:48 am (BST)