United News of Bangladesh

The stock markets in Dhaka and Chittagong continued to experience an upward trend on Wednesday, with the main index in Dhaka rising by 16 points. This follows the upward momentum seen over the last two days, with most companies seeing their share prices increase. On the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the DSEX, which is the primary index, increased by 16 points. The Shariah-based DSES index saw a rise of 2 points, while the DS-30, which tracks select blue-chip companies, increased by 4 points. In terms of trading volume, the Dhaka market saw a turnover exceeding Tk 45 billion, marking the highest of the week. The turnover was up from the previous day's Tk 41.2 billion. Among the 398 companies listed on the DSE, 191 experienced price increases, 140 saw declines, and 67 remained unchanged. Most companies in the A and B categories saw a rise in share prices, while the companies in the Z category experienced a mix of price increases and declines, with the number of gaining and losing stocks being equal. In total, 39 companies in the Z category saw their share prices either rise or fall, while 19 remained unchanged. Stock market sees increased trading amid constant growth in indexes Mutual funds listed on the DSE saw mostly stable prices, with 13 funds experiencing price increases and 5 seeing declines. In the block market, 37 lakh shares from 39 companies were traded, generating a total value of Tk 1.795 billion. Among these, Singer Bangladesh Ltd. recorded the highest value, selling shares worth Tk 440 million. Golden Harvest Agro Industries topped the DSE with a 10% price increase, while Midland Bank, with a 5.78% decrease, held the lowest position in the market. Chittagong Stock Market Shows Similar Growth Similarly, the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) saw its overall index increase by 72 points. Among the 220 companies involved in trading, 118 saw their prices rise, 64 saw declines, and 38 remained unchanged. However, despite the rise in indices and the majority of companies' prices increasing, overall trading volume in Chittagong decreased compared to the previous day. The total turnover for the day stood at Tk 52 million, a significant drop from Tk 119 million recorded on the previous day. Hami Industries PLC led the CSE with a 10% increase in share prices, while Peninsula Chittagong PLC was at the bottom, seeing a 9.63% drop in its share price.

In the past week’s trading activities, the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) saw a notable increase in its main index, accompanied by a rise in overall market transactions. These trends have been partially driven by a positive shift in the banking sector shares. Over the five trading days till Thursday (Feb. 27), the DSE's main index rose by 46.93 points. Trading, which concluded on February 20 at 5,200 points, reached 5,247 points on February 27. Mixed trends in stock markets: DSE gains, CSE declines in early trading Along with the main index’s growth, the average trading volume in Dhaka’s stock market saw an uptick. Last week, the average trading volume increased from Tk 470 crore to Tk 518 crore, marking a more than 10% rise over just five trading days. This surge is attributed to the growing confidence of investors in long-term investments, particularly in the banking sector. The collective share prices of 36 listed banks jumped by 19.55%. Banking Sector Recovery As the prices of shares in the banking sector have risen, transaction volumes have also increased. While brokerage houses and investors acknowledge that it is still uncertain whether the banking sector will fully recover within a week, the recent positive movements have sparked renewed hope for the sector. When compared to last week, the volume of banking sector share transactions has surged by nearly 60%. Among the banking institutions that saw trading, 22 experienced price increases, 10 saw declines, and four remained unchanged. Positive Movement in Financial Institutions In addition to the banking sector, the share prices of financial institutions also witnessed positive movement. Of the 23 listed financial institutions, 15 saw their prices rise, five saw declines, and three remained stable. Over the last five trading days, financial institution share prices have surged by over 105%, with the trading volume increasing by 86%. Stock market declines after 3-day rally Meanwhile, while the general insurance sector’s share prices rose by over 68%, the life insurance sector experienced a 19.61% drop in prices. Telco struggles The telecom sector, on the other hand, witnessed significant price drops. During the week, telecom sector shares fell by more than 44%. On the final trading day, shares of the listed telecom company Grameenphone fell by 4.5%, while Robi’s shares saw a slight dip of 0.35%. Blue-Chip Companies and SME Sector Despite the rise in the main index, the index of selected blue-chip companies fell by 4 points. Conversely, the Shariah-based DSES index rose by 4 points, while the SME sector’s shares continue to struggle. The index of small and medium-sized enterprises, DSMEX, fell by 18 points. Block Market Highlights In the block market, the highest number of shares were sold by Bich Hatchery Limited, with each share currently priced at Tk 109.40. Coming in second for block market sales is Jamuna Bank, where each share is priced at Tk 19.60. Most Active Stocks The most active stock in the market last week was Orion Infusion Limited, with Grameenphone taking second place. Top Performers and Decliners S Alam Cold Rolled Steels Limited, a B-category company, secured the top spot on the DSE with an impressive 53.25% return. On February 20, its shares were traded at Tk 15.40, and by the final trading day, they had risen to Tk 23.60. Stock market manipulated for political gains: Amir Khosru   On the other end of the spectrum, Sunlife Insurance Company Limited saw a nearly 10% drop, with its share price falling from Tk 75 on February 20 to Tk 68 by the end of the week. Stock Market Shrinkage and Margin Loans Between price fluctuations, a recent report from the DSE’s brokerage association, DBA, revealed that the size of the country’s stock market has shrunk by 37.6% over the past 16 years. In addition, over the last 15 years, 134 new companies have been listed on the stock market, with 42 companies now in the Z-category. Of the 350 listed companies, 103 are now in the Z-category. Investor Concerns: Margin Loans In this volatile market, margin loans continue to be a major concern for investors. Although a task force has been formed to address this issue, a long-term solution remains elusive. According to the combined reports from brokerage houses, the total margin loans in the stock market have surpassed Tk 20,000 crore, with Tk 9,700 crore of that amount attributed to negative equity. With the current positive outlook of the index, market experts believe that if investors can be freed from margin loans, confidence in the market could be restored in the near future.

Trading in the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) remained largely unchanged in the first two hours on Wednesday, with the key index showing no significant movement. Although the main index, DSEX, was in the negative zone, the drop was less than one point. Among the other two indices, the Shariah-based DSES remained flat, while the blue-chip DS30 index gained four points. Stock market rises, turnover surpasses Tk 500 crore again During the first two hours of trading, share prices of 162 companies increased, while 148 declined, and 77 remained unchanged. The total transaction value in the Dhaka market exceeded Tk 180 crore within this period. Meanwhile, the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) saw a 14-point rise in its overall index. Out of the 111 companies that participated in trading, 49 recorded price increases, 46 saw declines and 16 remained unchanged. The total turnover at CSE in the first half of the session crossed Tk 1.30 crore.

Trading at the Dhaka and Chattogram stock exchanges began on a positive note on Wednesday, with most company shares seeing price gains. At the opening of trading on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the benchmark index DSEX rose by 11 points. The Shariah-based DSES index increased by 2 points, while the blue-chip DS30 index gained 1 point. At the beginning of the session, share prices of 197 companies advanced, while 106 declined and 77 remained unchanged. Weekly Review: DSE plunges as investor confidence wanes; key sectors hit hard During the first hour of trading, shares and units worth over Tk 120 crore changed hands on the DSE. Meanwhile, the Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE) also opened higher, with its overall index increasing by 3 points. Among the 99 companies traded, share prices of 31 rose, 51 declined, and 17 remained unchanged. The total value of shares and units traded at the start of the session surpassed Tk 4 crore.