Stocks rebound sharply at DSE as govt keeps fuel prices unchanged

Stocks staged a strong
comeback today (1 April), with the benchmark Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) index
posting a sharp gain after the government decided against raising fuel prices
despite ongoing global energy market volatility.
The DSEX index surged 94
points, or 1.82%, to close at 5,272, recovering from a recent downturn linked
to Middle East tensions. The blue-chip DS30 index also rose 41 points to settle
at 2,001, reflecting renewed buying interest in fundamentally strong stocks.
Market activity turned
decisively positive, with 327 advancing issues against 39 decliners, while 25
remained unchanged. Turnover rose significantly to Tk720 crore, and overall
market capitalisation increased by around Tk4,000 crore.
Analysts and participants
attributed the rally to improved investor sentiment following the government's
decision, which eased fears of inflationary pressures and rising business costs.
EBL Securities noted the
rebound came after three consecutive sessions of losses, driven by broad-based
bargain hunting. Buying pressure intensified throughout the day, leading to
widespread price appreciation across sectors.
Sector-wise,
pharmaceuticals dominated turnover at 16.4%, followed by engineering and
textile sectors at 11.3% each. Top turnover leaders included Orion Infusion,
Summit Alliance Port, Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag, Acme Pesticides, and City
Bank, highlighting diversified participation.
All major sectors posted
gains, with mutual funds leading at 4.9%, services up 3.6%, and general
insurance rising 3.1%. Silva Pharma topped the gainers' list with a 10% rise,
followed by Bangladesh National Insurance and Apex Spinning. Several mutual
funds, including EBL NRB Mutual Fund and First Bangladesh Fixed Income Fund,
were also among the top performers.
The financial sector,
however, faced some pressure, with Peoples Leasing, Fareast Finance, and
International Leasing among the top losers.
The positive trend was mirrored at the Chittagong Stock Exchange, where the
CSCX index rose 118 points to 9,021, and the CASPI index gained 200 points to
14,779, with turnover at Tk42.51 crore.
















