United News of Bangladesh

Big Tech stocks led Wall Street to a positive finish on Friday, capping off a turbulent week marked by market swings tied to President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade war. The S&P 500 climbed 0.7%, extending a strong three-day rally and pulling within 10.1% of its all-time high from earlier in the year. Strong gains from Nvidia and other major tech names helped the Nasdaq composite outperform with a 1.3% jump. However, the upbeat performance in tech masked a more uneven day overall—more stocks in the S&P 500 declined than advanced. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a modest gain of just 20 points, or 0.1%. Alphabet climbed 1.7% in its first trading after Google’s parent company reported late Thursday that its profit soared 50% in the beginning of 2025 from a year earlier, more than analysts expected. Alphabet is one of the biggest companies on Wall Street in terms of size, and that gives its stock’s movements extra influence on the S&P 500 and other indexes. Another market heavyweight, Nvidia, was also a major force pushing the S&P 500 index upward after the chip company rose 4.3%. They helped offset a 6.7% drop for Intel, which fell even though its results for the beginning of the year also topped expectations. The chip company said it’s seeing “elevated uncertainty across the industry” and gave a forecast for upcoming revenue and profit that fell short of analysts’ expectations. It wasn’t just Intel. Roughly three out of every five stocks in the S&P 500 sank, including Eastman Chemical, which dropped 6.2% after it gave a forecast for profit this spring that fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Mark Costa said that the “macroeconomic uncertainty that defined the last several years has only increased” and that future demand for its products “is unclear given the magnitude and scope of tariffs.” Asian shares soar after Wall Street rallies into a 3rd day Skechers U.S.A., the shoe and apparel company, pulled its financial forecasts for the year due to “macroeconomic uncertainty stemming from global trade policies” even though it just reported a record quarter of revenue at $2.41 billion. Its stock fell 5.3%. Companies across industries have increasingly been saying the uncertainty created by Trump’s tariffs is making it difficult to give financial forecasts for the upcoming year. Stocks bounced back from a steep slide on Monday on hopes that Trump may be softening his approach on trade and his criticism of the Federal Reserve, which had earlier shaken markets. The hope is that if Trump rolls back some of his stiff tariffs, he could avert a recession that many investors see as otherwise likely because of his trade war. But Trump’s on-again-off-again tariffs may nevertheless be pushing households and businesses to alter their spending and freeze plans for long-term investment because of how quickly conditions can change, sometimes seemingly by the hour. “Business owners scrambling to figure out their supply chains and exposure to tariffs is more than just a distraction,” according to Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. “It could be an existential threat, especially for smaller businesses that don’t have the scale or resources to have the same supply chain flexibility as larger firms.” All told, the S&P 500 rose 40.44 points to 5,525.21. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 20.10 to 40,113.50, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 216.90 to 17,382.94. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose modestly across much of Europe following more mixed movements in Asia. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.9%, but stocks in Shanghai slipped 0.1%. In the bond market, Treasury yields eased some more, and the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.25% from 4.32% late Thursday. It’s been generally falling since approaching 4.50% earlier this month in a surprising rise that suggested investors worldwide may have been losing faith in the U.S. bond market’s reputation as a safe place to park cash. Yields have dropped as several reports on the U.S. economy have come in weaker than expected, bolstering expectations that the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates later this year to support growth. A report on Friday morning said sentiment among U.S. consumers sank in April, though not by as much as economists expected. The survey from the University of Michigan said its measure of expectations for coming conditions has dropped 32% since January for the steepest three-month percentage decline seen since the 1990 recession. The value of the U.S. dollar meanwhile held steady against the euro and other rival currencies. It’s been recovering some of its sharp, unexpected losses from earlier this month that had rattled investors.      

Maintaining the ongoing downward trend, both the Dhaka and Chattogram stock exchanges began trading on Tuesday) with losses, as indices in both markets declined. At the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the benchmark DSEX index fell by 20 points within the first two hours of trading. The other two indices — the Shariah-based DSES and the blue-chip DS30 — also dropped by 4 points each. During the first half of the trading session, the DSE recorded a turnover of Tk 180 crore, with the majority of listed companies experiencing a fall in share prices. Out of the traded securities, prices rose for 203 companies, declined for 133, while 58 remained unchanged. Downward spiral continues in stock market A similar scenario was observed at the Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE), where the overall index dropped by 70 points shortly after trading began. Among the 163 companies that participated in trading at the CSE, share prices increased for 41 companies, declined for 104, and remained unchanged for 18. The total turnover during the first half of the session stood at over Tk 2.75 crore.  

Trading at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) began on a positive note on Thursday, the week's final working day, with the key index advancing, while the Chattogram bourse continued its recent downward trend, remaining in negative territory. During the first two hours of trading, the DSEX, the benchmark index of the DSE, rose by 8 points. The Shariah-based index (DSES) posted a marginal gain, while the blue-chip index (DS30) advanced by 2 points. DSE, 2 other South Asian stock markets unite to drive regional growth Despite the index ticking upwards, overall turnover remained sluggish due to the recent bearish spell. Whereas turnover would often surpass Tk 200 crore during the first half in previous sessions, it stood below Tk 150 crore on this day. The share prices of most participating companies increased. A total of 161 companies saw their share prices rise, while 132 declined and 96 remained unchanged. Meanwhile, the Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE) could not shake off its ongoing slump. In the first half of the session, the CSE’s overall index dropped by 73 points. A majority of the stocks traded on the CSE saw a decline. Out of the traded issues, 66 companies experienced a fall in share price, 33 recorded gains and 24 remained unchanged. The turnover at the CSE during the first two hours reached Tk 2.3 crore.

The country’s stock market is reeling under significant pressure this week, with both the Dhaka and Chattogram bourses witnessing substantial losses. Following a fall on the first trading day, the market continued its downward trend on Tuesday, the second session after the Bangla New Year holiday, as the share prices of most listed companies declined. On the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the key index DSEX shed 37 points, reflecting the prevailing bearish sentiment. The downturn extended to other indices as well— the Shariah-based DSES dropped by 10 points, while the blue-chip DS30 index lost 18 points. Out of 397 companies traded on the DSE, the majority suffered price losses. While only 98 companies recorded gains, 255 saw a decline in share prices and 44 remained unchanged. A breakdown by category shows the price fall dominated across all segments—A, B, and Z. In particular, only 11 of the 83 B-category companies experienced price increases, while 67 declined and 5 remained unchanged. Mutual funds were not spared either. Among the 36 funds traded, only 7 saw price appreciation, while 24 declined and 5 stayed the same. In the block market, 26 companies offloaded shares worth Tk 48.93 crore. Marico Bangladesh topped the chart, selling shares worth Tk 23.38 crore alone. Despite the falling indices, DSE saw an increase in overall turnover. Total transactions reached over Tk 446 crore, compared to Tk 414 crore on the previous trading day. Rangpur Foundry Ltd emerged as the top gainer on the DSE, with its share price rising by 9.94%. The stock opened at Tk 142.90 and closed at Tk 157.10. FICCI calls for equitable energy tariff to safeguard investment, competitiveness In contrast, Khan Brothers was the worst performer of the day, shedding 9.96%. The stock fell from Tk 134.50 to close at Tk 121.10. Chattogram Bourse Follows Suit The Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE) mirrored the downtrend, with its key index plunging by 100 points during the day’s trading session. Out of 211 companies traded on the CSE, 135 witnessed a decline in share prices, while 54 advanced and 22 remained unchanged. Turnover on the CSE also decreased sharply. From Tk 15 crore in the previous session, total transactions dipped to just Tk 7 crore. Eastern Cables Ltd became the day’s top gainer on the CSE, with its share price climbing by 9.95%. On the losing end, Deshbandhu Polymer Ltd dropped by 9.77%, ending the day at the bottom of the performance table. Both bourses are now navigating through a period of uncertainty, with investor sentiment remaining shaky amid continued sell pressure and limited buying support.

The stock markets in Dhaka and Chattogram faced a sharp decline on the first trading day of the week on Sunday, leaving investors rattled as major indices fell and share prices of most companies slumped. The benchmark DSEX index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) dropped by 35 points, the highest fall so far this month. The other two indices also recorded losses: the Shariah-based DSES was down by 6 points, while the blue-chip DS30 fell by 15 points. Stock market begins week with a jolt as indices tumble in Dhaka, Chattogram A majority of the traded stocks ended in the red. Out of 397 traded companies, share prices fell for 270, rose for 79, and remained unchanged for 48. Across all categories — A, B, and Z — most companies witnessed a decline in share prices, with Z-category shares faring the worst. Of the 95 listed Z-category companies, only 9 registered gains, 69 declined, and 17 remained unchanged. Among the 36 mutual funds traded, prices rose for just 3 and remained unchanged for 7, while 25 declined. In the block market, shares worth Tk 33.67 crore were traded across 30 companies, with Sunlife Insurance leading the volume with shares worth Tk 9.89 crore. Alongside the falling indices, turnover at the Dhaka bourse also declined. The total turnover stood at Tk 414 crore, a drop from Tk 540 crore in the previous session. Sector-wise Performance The banking sector performed poorly. Of the 26 listed banks, only five saw price increases, while prices remained unchanged for another five, and declined for the remaining 16. Overall, bank shares declined by 1.66% in a single session. Stock markets resume trading after Eid holidays Financial institutions also followed suit, with only 1 company gaining, 4 remaining unchanged, and 18 losing value. The insurance sector mirrored the downward trend — 42 out of 58 listed companies in the sector suffered losses, while only 11 advanced and 5 remained stable. All three listed telecom companies saw a fall in their share prices. In the textile sector, 41 companies lost value compared to gains by only 9. In the pharmaceuticals sector, 24 companies fell, while 7 gained. The IT sector also saw a drop, with 8 companies declining and only 1 showing gains. Despite overall sectoral declines, marginal gains were observed in sectors like jute, engineering, food, and cement. The cement sector, in particular, showed a 2.47% rise, although share prices of 4 out of 7 companies in the sector dropped. Top Gainers Eastern Cables Limited led the top gainers with a 9.94% rise. The stock opened at Tk 125 and closed at Tk 131.60 per share. Wata Chemicals Limited followed with a 9.90% gain, rising from Tk 124 to Tk 134.30. Heidelberg Materials was third with an 8.74% increase, its share price climbing from Tk 273.60 to Tk 297.50 within a single day. Pharmaceutical company ACI Formulations gained 7.43%, with its share price jumping from Tk 850.90 to Tk 914.10. Munno Agro secured the fifth spot among top gainers, with a 6.91% rise — from Tk 320 to Tk 342.10. Top Losers Al-Haj Textile Mills led the decliners, losing 9.94%. Its share price fell from Tk 141.40 to Tk 128.60. Among banks, Prime Bank suffered the steepest loss at 9.58%. In the ceramics sector, Shinepukur Ceramics dropped by 8.14%. Phoenix Finance and Investment in the financial sector shed 7.50%, while S Alam Cold Rolled Steels lost 5.91%. Stock markets see rise in indices, but trading volume declines in Dhaka, Chittagong   Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE) The Chattogram Stock Exchange mirrored the decline seen in Dhaka, with the overall index falling by 38 points. Out of 195 traded companies, 119 saw a drop in share prices, 56 registered gains, and 20 remained unchanged. Despite the drop in the index, turnover at the CSE increased to Tk 15 crore — the highest so far this month. Eastern Cables Limited also topped the CSE gainers, with a 9.97% increase in a single day. Meanwhile, Prime Bank saw the biggest drop in CSE, falling by 11.16% from Tk 24.20 to Tk 21.50 per share.  

The stock markets in both Dhaka and Chattogram began the week on a downbeat note, with share prices of most companies declining in early trading on Sunday. At the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the benchmark index DSEX dropped by 19 points within the first two hours of trading. The two other indices also followed suit — the Shariah-based DSES lost 1 point, while the DS30 index, comprising blue-chip stocks, declined by 8 points. A majority of the listed companies saw their share prices fall. Of the traded securities, 209 companies recorded losses, while only 106 advanced. Share prices of 78 companies remained unchanged. During the same two-hour window, the total turnover at the DSE crossed Tk 200 crore, indicating active participation despite the bearish trend. Weekly Capital Market Roundup: Indices fall, turnover sees improvement The Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE) also witnessed a similar decline. The overall index at the CSE dropped by 5 points. Among the 127 companies that took part in trading at the CSE, 67 saw a fall in share prices, while 38 gained. The prices of 22 companies remained unchanged. Turnover at the CSE during the first two hours exceeded Tk 4 crore, reflecting cautious sentiment among investors across both bourses.

Following the Eid holidays, trading at the country's stock exchanges resumed on a downward note. Despite gains in the last two sessions of the week, investors did not experience a favourable outcome overall, as selling pressure remained high. Over the week, the benchmark DSEX index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) dropped by 13 points. The index, which reopened at 5,219 points after the break, settled at 5,205 points by Thursday, 10 April. Alongside the main index, the SME index – representing small and medium enterprises – also slumped. The DSMEX declined by 25 points over the week, marking a 2.54 percent drop in the SME sector. Dhaka bourse sees rise after slump, highest turnover since Eid Of the remaining indices, the Shariah-compliant DSES and blue-chip DS30 managed to avoid the downward trend. The DSES gained 4 points, while the DS30 rose by 13 points. Most companies listed on the DSE witnessed a fall in share prices. Out of the total traded, 235 companies saw a decline in share value, compared to only 141 gaining. The share prices of 19 companies remained unchanged throughout the week. Despite the drop in indices, overall turnover on the DSE increased. Weekly average turnover rose to Tk 487 crore, up from Tk 406 crore in the previous week — an increase of more than 19 percent. In the banking sector, out of 36 listed banks, only 3 recorded gains in share price. In contrast, 28 banks saw a decline, while 5 remained unchanged. The sectoral index gained 8 points, and turnover rose by 5 percent; however, total returns fell by 1.75 percent. Among other sectors, the cement and mutual fund sectors yielded the highest returns. The cement sector led with a 6.9 percent return, followed by mutual funds at 6.55 percent. The textile sector reported the sharpest decline, with returns dropping by 4.75 percent. Negative returns were also observed in the paper, financial institutions, leather, general insurance, telecom and IT sectors. Bangladesh Shipping Corporation recorded the highest turnover on the DSE this week, with shares worth Tk 248 million traded. The company's share price rose by 5.10 percent. In the block market, Bank Asia led in terms of sales, offloading shares worth Tk 167.9 million throughout the week. Chattogram Market Overview Like Dhaka, the Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE) also witnessed a fall in its indices. The overall index of the CSE dropped by 32 points over the week. In addition to falling indices, turnover in Chattogram's market declined. Foreign investors express keen interest in Bangladesh: BIDA From a total of Tk 50 crore during the holiday week, the turnover dipped to Tk 43 crore in the following week. Among the 318 companies traded at the CSE, 165 saw price declines, 131 gained, and 22 remained unchanged. Heidelberg Cement Bangladesh topped the list of major performers on the CSE, with its share price increasing by approximately Tk 30 over the week. In contrast, Ratanpur Steel Re-Rolling Mills Ltd, a Z-category company, recorded the biggest decline, with its share price dropping by Tk 18.51. According to the weekly report from LankaBangla Securities, global developments, including tariff policies by former US President Donald Trump affecting Asian stock markets, along with the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) latest outlook on Bangladesh’s economy, have had varying impacts on the domestic capital market. However, the report suggests that the current relative stability in the domestic economy, combined with expectations of relaxed tariff measures by the Trump administration across major economies, may bring a degree of stability to Bangladesh’s capital markets in the upcoming week.

The stock exchanges of the country showed contrasting trends on Thursday, the last trading day of the week. While Dhaka's market saw a rise in indices, Chittagong experienced a slight decline. In the first half of trading, all the indices at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) saw an increase. The main index, DSEX, rose by 15 points. The Shariah-based DSES index increased by 3 points, while the blue-chip DSE-30 index gained 4 points. In terms of stock prices, most companies saw an increase. Out of 209 companies, 97 saw a decrease in prices, and 86 remained unchanged. In the first two hours of trading, the DSE’s turnover surpassed Tk 270 crore. DSE, 2 other South Asian stock markets unite to drive regional growth Meanwhile, the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) experienced a decline in its overall index, which dropped by 3 points. Despite this, most of the stocks in the market saw price increases. Of the 134 companies participating in the trading, 58 saw an increase in stock prices, 51 experienced a drop, and 25 remained unchanged. During the first two hours of trading at the CSE, over Tk 1.6 crore worth of shares and units were bought and sold. This dissimilar market trend between Dhaka and Chittagong has generated mixed reactions among investors.

After three days of decline, the Dhaka Stock Exchange rebounded on Wednesday, recording its highest turnover since the Eid holidays. The DSEX, the benchmark index of the DSE, gained 10 points on the day. Among the other two indices, the Shariah-based DSES rose by 2 points, while the blue-chip DS30 dropped by 2 points. Despite the overall index increase, most company share prices fell on the day. Out of 395 companies that traded, 144 saw gains, 193 declined and the prices of 58 remained unchanged. Price declines were observed across all three categories—A, B, and Z—with the majority of shares in each category ending lower. Stock indices decline in Dhaka, Chittagong markets; trading volume rises The mutual fund sector, which had shown resilience during the previous day's decline, struggled on Wednesday. Of the 36 mutual funds, only 4 saw price increases, while 24 declined and 8 remained unchanged. In the DSE block market, shares worth Tk 22.99 crore were traded across 27 companies. Among them, Lovello Ice Cream posted the highest block market transaction, with shares worth Tk 4 crore traded. Total turnover on the DSE stood at Tk 527 crore—the highest since the end of the Eid holidays. The week had started with Tk 415 crore in turnover, marking a rise of over Tk 100 crore by the fourth trading day. Confidence Cement led the gainers, soaring 10% to top the day’s list. It opened at Tk 50 per share and closed at Tk 55. Conversely, Beach Hatchery was the day’s worst performer, losing 9.92% of its value. The stock started trading at Tk 98.80 per share but dropped to Tk 89 by the end of the session. Chittagong Bourse in Decline While the DSE posted gains, the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) failed to follow suit. The overall index of the CSE lost 3 points by the close of trade. Out of 219 companies that participated in trading, 85 advanced, 103 declined, and 31 remained unchanged. But, the CSE did see an increase in turnover compared to the previous session. Shares and units worth Tk 9.82 crore were traded, up from Tk 6.50 crore the day before. KAY&QUE topped the CSE gainers, rising by 9.96%, while Delta Spinners plummeted 10% to end as the biggest loser.

Stock indices in both Dhaka and Chittagong's stock markets saw a decline on the fourth trading day of the week on Wednesday. While all the indices dropped in both markets, overall trading volume increased. The main index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), DSEX, decreased by 2 points. Among the other two indices, the Shariah-based DSES dropped by 1 point and the DS-30 index fell by more than half a point. Despite the decline in the indices, trading volume saw an increase compared to the previous day. A total of Tk 482 crore worth of shares and units were traded on the DSE, up from Tk 451 crore the previous day. The share prices of most companies participating in the trading session fell. Out of 395 companies, 150 saw price increases, while 186 companies experienced price declines. The prices of shares for 59 companies remained unchanged throughout the day. Stock market trends maintain upward momentum in Dhaka, Chattogram In terms of categories, the majority of shares in the A and Z categories saw price declines, while most shares in the B category saw price increases. Of the 82 companies in the mid-range B category, 39 saw price increases, 33 saw price decreases, and 10 experienced no change in share prices. Among mutual funds, 24 out of the 36 listed companies experienced price increases. Four companies saw a decrease in prices, while the prices of eight companies remained unchanged. In the block market, shares worth Tk 26.92 crore were sold from 26 companies. Among these, Bank Asia saw the highest trading value, selling shares worth Tk 10.78 crore in the block market. Of the companies traded on the DSE, Prime Finance First Mutual Fund was at the top with a 10% price increase, while Tallu Spinning Mills was at the bottom with a 3.39% price decrease. Chittagong Market Also Sees Decline Similar to Dhaka, Chittagong's stock market also experienced a decline. The overall index of the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) fell by over 1 point. Despite the decline in the index, trading volume increased in the CSE as well. A total of Tk 6.94 crore worth of shares and units were traded on the CSE, compared to Tk 3.83 crore the previous day. Out of 193 companies that participated in the trading session, 86 saw price increases, 79 experienced price declines, and 28 saw no change in prices. In the CSE, Padma Islamic Life Insurance Limited led the market with a 10% price increase, while Beach Hatchery Limited saw the largest price decline, down 9.97%.