DHAKA: Stocks today concluded the final trading session of the year on a positive trajectory, marking a three-day gaining streak attributed to portfolio rebalancing ahead of the year-end. The DSEX, the broad index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, rose by 11.7 points, or 0.2%, to close at 5,216 points, compared to 5,205 points in the previous trading session.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, market analysts observed a range-bound trading session with investors actively participating on both sides of the trading fence to capture market momentum. The appreciation in the prices of certain large-cap scrips further propelled the indices upward, resulting in a positive close for the year.
Despite the positive trend, market participation remained relatively unchanged, with market turnover experiencing a slight decline of 0.1%, settling at Taka 3.7 billion. Sectoral analysis revealed that the Pharma sector accounted for the highest turnover at 17.0%, followed by the Bank sector at 14.5%, and the Food sector at 11.3%. All sectors recorded positive returns, with the Food sector leading at 1.4%, followed by Mutual Funds at 0.9%, and Cement at 0.7%.
Out of the 397 issues traded on the Dhaka Stock Exchange, 141 advanced, 183 declined, and 73 remained unchanged. The port city bourse, Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), also experienced an upward trend as its All Share Price Index (CASPI) edged up by 1.8 points to close at 14,473.34.