Stocks end flat with volatility

Stocks closed almost flat on Wednesday with higher turnover as investors were active both side of the trading ahead of third quarter earnings declaration.

The market opened positive for a brief period, but slowed down later part of the session, eventually ended slightly lower.

DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), settled at 4,852.08, shedding 1.09 points or 0.02 per cent over the previous session.

The two other indices also closed in the red. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, lost 6.05 points or 0.32 per cent to finish at 1,847.97. The DSE Shariah Index (DSES) shed 5.17 points or 0.43 per cent to end at 1,180.89.

Turnover improved to Tk 4.95 billion, which was 13.78 per cent higher than the previous session’s Tk 4.35 billion.

The losers took a modest lead over the gainers as out of 320 issues traded, 151 closed lower, 125 ended higher and 44 remained unchanged.

GP dominated the day’s turnover chart with shares of Tk 238 million changing hands followed by Saif Powertec, Square Pharma, Islami Bank and FAR Chemicals.

GSP Finance was the day’s best performer, posting a rise of 5.88 per cent while BSCCL was the day’s worst loser, plunging by 7.11 per cent.

The port city bourse Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also closed slightly lower with its Selective Categories Index – CSCX – lost 3.84 points to end at 9,042.49.

Losers beat gainers 123 to 91, with 34 issues remained unchanged on the port city bourse that traded 9.96 million shares and mutual fund units with a value of Tk 333 million. -FE