Retail investors are in despair as DSE witnesses volatility. BBN file photo

Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Turnover on Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) came down to BDT 3.0 billion Thursday, dipping to more than one-and-a-half years low, as participation of investors on the trading floor was thin due to security concern.

The presence of investors at the brokerage houses was thin as the entire capital has been wrapped in an unprecedented security blanket following the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case verdict.

Turnover, the crucial indicator of the market, fell 24 percent to BDT 3.0 billion, compared to the previous day’s BDT 3.98 billion.

It was the lowest single-day transaction in the 19 months since July 11, 2016 year when turnover was recorded at BDT 2.72 billion.

Analysts said the ongoing liquidity shortage coupled with fear of political jitter centering Zia Orphanage Trust graft case verdict kept investors mostly inactive, bringing the turnover to below BDT 3.0 billion-mark.

Following the previous day’s marginal fall, the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) opened on positive note in early trading.

Within first 15 minutes of trading, the key index of the country’s prime bourse advanced more than 7.0 points while the CSE All Share Price Index (CAPSI) of port city’s bourse advanced 28 points at 10:45am.

After 30 minutes of trading, the DSEX rose nearly 24 points while the CSE All Share Price Index (CAPSI) of port city’s bourse advanced 31 points at 11:00am.

After 90 minutes of trading, DSEX advanced nearly 12 points while the CSE All Shares Price Index gained 17 points at 12noon.

Finally, DSEX closed 29 points higher while CAPSI added 80 points at closing.

DSEX, the key index of the Dhaka bourse, went up by more than 29 points or 0.49 percent to settle at 5,965.

The second bourse – the Chittagong Stock Exchange – (CSE) also ended higher with CSE All Shares Price Index (CAPSI) – advancing 80 points to finish at 18,424.

The Selective Categories Index of the Chittagong bourse – CSCX – also gained 46 points to reach at 11,128 points.

Gainers beat losers as 107 issues closed higher, 78 nudged higher and 36 remained unchanged on the CSE.

The port city bourse traded 5.11 million shares and mutual fund units worth BDT 475 million in turnover.

BBN/SS/AD