BBN file photo

Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Turnover on the Bangladesh’s prime bourse dipped to BDT 2.89 billion on Thursday, hitting nearly 20 months low, as investors were mostly inactive amid persistent liquidity shortage.

Turnover, the crucial indicator of the market, fell nearly 26 percent to BDT 2.90 billion Thursday, compared to the previous day’s BDT 3.91 billion.

It was also the lowest single-day transaction in the last 20 months since July 11 in 2016 when turnover was recorded at BDT 2.72 billion.

Analysts said the ongoing liquidity shortage and pessimism kept investors mostly inactive, bringing the turnover below BDT 3.0 billion-mark to a 20-month low.

Following the previous four days’ fall, the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) witnessed positive trend in early trading amid low trading activities.

Within first 15 minutes of trading, the key index of the country’s prime bourse advanced more than 51 points while the CSE All Share Price Index (CASPI) of port city’s bourse gained 46 points at 10:45am.

After 30 minutes of trading, it slowed down some extent and the DSEX gained more than 27 points while the CSE All Share Price Index (CASPI) of port city’s bourse advanced 66 points at 11:00am.

Since then, it slowed down and eroded all the early gains as the session progressed, finally DSEX ended 2.02 points lower while CSE All Share Price Index (CASPI) shed 5.38 points at closing.

DHAKA STOCK EXCHANGE:

The market, however, ended almost flat with the DSEX – the core index of the DSE – losing 2.05 points to settle at 5,907 points.

The two other indices also ended in the red. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, fell 3.01 points or 0.13 percent to finish at 2,170. The DSE Shariah Index ended 3.93 points or 0.28 percent lower to settle at 1,375.

Losers took a modest lead over the gainers, as prices of 161 securities declined, 113 advanced and 57 remained unchanged out of the 331 issues that were traded on the DSE floor.

Square Pharmaceuticals topped the turnover chart with shares worth BDT 143 million changing hands, closely followed by CVO Petrochemicals Refinery, Grameenphone, Unique Hotel & Resorts and Pharma Aids.

Libra Infusions was the day’s top gainer, posting a gain of 6.25 percent while Meghna Pet was the day’s worst loser, losing 9.34 percent.

CHITTAGONG STOCK EXCHANGE:

Port city bourse CSE also closed almost flat with CSE All Share Price Index – CAPSI-losing 5.38 points to settle at 18,251 while Selective Categories Index – CSCX – advancing 1.20 points to finish at 11,019.

The losers beat the gainers as 98 issues closed lower, 88 nudged higher and 32 remained unchanged on the CSE.

The port city bourse traded 5.25 million shares and mutual fund units worth nearly BDT 237 million in turnover.

BBN/SS/AD