Biz-Econ

Stock open week on negative note

Stocks opened the week on a negative note Sunday, extending the losing spell for the eighth sessions in a row as investors were remained cautious amid weak market performance.DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), went down by 32.69 points or 0.71 per cent to settle at 4,540.89 after four hours trading.The two other indices also edged lower. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, dropped 10.0 points or 0.57 per cent to finish at 1,719.15. The DSE Shariah Index shed 7.43 points or 0.67 per cent to close at 1,095.26.The total turnover fell to Tk 3.96 billion, which was 2.22 per cent lower than the previous day’s Tk 4.05 billion.The losers took a strong lead over the gainers as out of 328 issues traded, 253 closed lower, 55 higher and 20 remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor. Square Pharma dominated the turnover chart with shares worth above Tk 162 million changing hands followed by Alltex Industries, IT Consultants, Saif Powertec and Emerald Oil.Fu-Wang Ceramics was the day’s best performer, posting a rise of 9.52 per cent while Aamra Technologies was the worst loser, slumping 9.93 per cent.The port city bourse Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also closed lower with its Selective Categories Index, CSCX, shedding 55.20 points to finish at 8,511.08.Losers beat gainers as 174 issues closed lower, 43 higher and 19 remained unchanged on the CSE.The port city bourse traded 14.06 million shares and mutual fund units worth Tk 303 million in turnover. -FE