Staff Correspondent: On Monday, the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) witnessed a turnover exceeding Tk 500 crore, marking a notable increase in trading activity. A large number of stocks saw price appreciation, leading to a rise in all major indices.
Alongside DSE, the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also experienced an upward trend in its index, despite a majority of stocks recording price declines. Trading volume increased on both markets, reflecting renewed investor interest.
At DSE, shares of both high-performing and underperforming companies showed mixed trends. Stocks of 219 companies under the 'A' category were traded, of which 108 saw price increases, 75 declined, and 36 remained unchanged. In the 'B' category, 24 companies registered gains, while 47 experienced losses. Meanwhile, 95 stocks under the 'Z' category were traded, with 40 gaining in price, 29 declining, and 26 remaining stable. Among the 35 mutual funds traded, only nine recorded gains, while 12 declined, and 14 remained unchanged.
At the end of the trading session, 172 stocks and units posted gains, while 151 saw price declines, and 73 remained unchanged. This overall positive movement pushed the DSE's benchmark index, DSEX, up by 13 points to 5,196 points. The Shariah-based DSES index increased by seven points to 1,166 points, while the DS30 index, comprising top-performing stocks, climbed 15 points to 1,911 points.
Trading volume at DSE saw a sharp rise, with total turnover reaching Tk 504.26 crore, compared to Tk 421.28 crore in the previous session-an increase of Tk 82.98 crore. This was the first time in five trading sessions that DSE turnover exceeded the Tk 500 crore mark.
A significant portion of the day's trading was driven by the 20-year Bangladesh Government Treasury Bond (BGTB), which accounted for Tk 42.75 crore in transactions, making it the highest-traded security of the day. Orion Infusion followed with Tk 33.55 crore in turnover, while Beximco Pharmaceuticals secured the third position with Tk 31.40 crore in trading value. Other companies that saw high trading volumes included Shinepukur Ceramics, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, Square Pharmaceuticals, Beach Hatchery, Sunlife Insurance, Eastern Lubricants, and KDS Accessories.
At the Chittagong Stock Exchange, the overall index CASPI rose by 17 points. Among the 183 traded companies, 67 recorded price gains, while 93 saw declines, and 23 remained unchanged. CSE turnover stood at Tk 13.38 crore, up from Tk 9.99 crore in the previous session.
The increased turnover and positive index movement at both stock exchanges indicate improved investor confidence, with market participants closely watching further developments in the coming sessions.