Dhaka stocks finish on low note

Dhaka stocks finished mixed on Wednesday owing to a profit-taking selling pressure amid a volatile trading after Tuesday’s a quick-fire surge, market operators said.
The general index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange lost 7.75 points, or 0.29 per cent, to close at 2664.90, while its blue chips index, DSE20, gained 2.70 points, or 0.12 per cent, to finish at 2186.23.
A DSE stockbroker said the market witnessed a profit-taking selling spree of investors in the late trading. Starting with an upbeat mood, the market finished with on a low note, he said.
On Tuesday, the market jumped after the Securities and Exchange Commission held a market-review meeting with merchant banks and stock exchanges.
The stock market regulatory body convened the meeting following a demonstration of a group of retail investors in front of the DSE building on Monday amid a continuous fall in share prices in recent weeks.
Of the total 258 issues traded on Wednesday, 146 advanced, 105 declined and seven remained unchanged.
Turnover at the DSE, however, increased to Tk 299.55 crore from the Tuesday’s Tk 233.72 crore.
Beximco Pharmaceuticals topped the turnover leaders with a total transaction of Tk 34.09 crore.
Titas Gas, Shinepukur Ceramics, Beximco, BSRM Steels, Summit Power, Apex Tannery, Quasem Drycells, Uttara Bank, and Apex Adelchi Footwear were the rest of the top 10 turnover leaders on the day.
Chittagong stocks closed down on Wednesday.
The selective categories index of Chittagong Stock Exchange lost 31.19 points, or 0.58 per cent, to close at 5342.69, while its blue chips index, CSE30, shed 20.68 points, or 0.29 per cent, to finish at 7006.37.
Of the total 154 issues traded on the CSE floor, 80 posted gains, 70 dropped, and four remained unchanged.
Turnover at the CSE went up to Tk 41.02 crore from the Tuesday’s Tk 37.29 crore.
Trading at upazila-level branches of the DSE brokerage houses will remain closed today due to local government polls. However, settlement obligations shall be settled by the respective head offices of the brokerage houses, said an official of the bourse.