Stocks tumble to two-month low

The domestic stock market yesterday plunged for the third consecutive trading session as investors continued their selling spree.

The DSEX, the benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), shed 57 points, or 0.86 per cent, to reach 6,638 by the end of the day.

Having lost 115 points collectively over the past three trading sessions, this is the lowest point the index has hit since December 26 last year, when it stood at 6,629.

At the DSE, 98 stocks advanced, 247 fell and 34 remained the same while turnover of the country's premier bourse rose 1 per cent to Tk 655 crore.

Beximco Ltd was the most traded stock with shares worth Tk 70 crore changing hands followed by Fortune Shoes, British American Tobacco Bangladesh, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, and Sonali Paper and Board Mills.

The stocks extended their losing streak for a third consecutive day as investors opted to stay on the side-lines amid global economic uncertainty caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, International Leasing Securities said in its daily market review.

As a result, turnover also remained low, it added.

Meanwhile, the DS30, the blue-chip stock index, and the DSES, the sharia-compliant stock index, lost 24 and 10.97 points respectively.

Among the sectors, mutual funds rose 2.2 per cent, paper and printing appreciated 1.2 per cent, and jute increased 1.1 per cent.

The investors' attention was mainly concentrated on miscellaneous (15.3 per cent), pharmaceuticals (14 per cent) and textiles (11.7 per cent).

First Prime Finance Mutual Fund topped the gainers list, rising 9.87 per cent, followed by BD Thai Food, CAPM IBBL Mutual Fund, RN Spinning Mills, and Jute Spinners.

Shurwid Industries shed the most, dropping 7.19 per cent, followed by Sunlife Insurance, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, Prime Insurance, and Bangladesh General Insurance.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also dropped yesterday. The Caspi, the main index of the port city bourse, dropped 127 points, or 0.65 per cent, to hit 19,444 by the end of the day.

Among the 274 traded stocks, 85 rose, 158 fell and 31 remained unchanged.