Major setback in DSE, CSE amid widespread decline

Dhaka and Chittogram stock market logos.

Dhaka, Aug 4 - Both the Dhaka and Chattogram stock exchanges faced a significant downturn on Monday, the week’s second trading day, as indices fell sharply amid widespread price drops across most listed companies.

At the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), all major indices closed in the red. The benchmark DSEX index plunged by 50 points, while the Shariah-based DSES dropped 8 points, and the blue-chip DS30 index fell by 20 points.

Of the 397 issues traded on the DSE, prices declined for 207 companies, outpacing the 122 gainers, while 68 remained unchanged.

Despite being considered more stable, the A-category stocks—typically known for consistent dividend payouts—also witnessed pressure. Among them, only 66 issues advanced, whereas 119 declined, and 34 remained unchanged.

The total turnover at the DSE stood at Tk 911 crore, down from Tk 1,137 crore in the previous session. In the block market, shares worth Tk 11 crore were traded across 24 companies, with Global Pen dominating the segment by offloading shares worth Tk 2.3 crore.

Titas Gas topped the gainers’ chart in Dhaka with a 9.52% price increase, while Trust Bank suffered the steepest fall, losing over 8%.

Chattogram Also Dips

The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) mirrored the negative trend, as its overall index dropped by 68 points.

Out of 227 issues traded on the CSE, 112 lost value, while 96 gained and 19 remained unchanged. Turnover at the port city’s bourse was also sluggish, amounting to Tk 10 crore—half of the previous session's Tk 20 crore.

Quasem Industries emerged as the top gainer in Chattogram with a 9% rise, whereas Khan Brothers ended at the bottom, shedding over 9%. - UNB