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The daily turnover on the Dhaka bourse dropped below Tk 10 billion-mark on Thursday as investors mostly followed cautious stance just ahead of national budget declaration.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal is all set to unveil the national budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2023-24.
Turnover, the crucial indicator of the market, stood at Tk 9.98 billion, a 17 per cent lower over the previous day’s six seven months’ highest turnover of Tk 11.98 billion.
The market index, however, posted gain as some optimistic investors chased lucrative shares in anticipation of quick gains.
Following the previous day’s modest correction, the market opened on a positive note which continued until the end of the session.
DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), finally went up by 15.82 points or 0.25 per cent to settle at 6,355, after losing 6.04 points in the previous day.
Stockbrokers the market index remained afloat riding on the dominant buying spree on selective issues amid cautious investors’ profit-booking in some recently rallied issues just ahead of the national budget declaration.
Two other indices also edged higher. The DSE 30 Index, comprising blue chips, edged up by 3.31 points to finish at 2,201 while the DSE Shariah Index (DSES) advanced 2.57 points to close at 1,379.
Gainers took a modest lead over the losers, as out of 364 issued traded, 105 advanced, 71 declined and 188 remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor.
Gemini Sea Food became the most-traded stock with shares worth Tk 502 million changing hands.
The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also edged higher with the CSE All Share Price Index – CASPI –gaining 41 points to settle at 18,765 and the Selective Categories Index – CSCX – rising 23 points to close at 11,219.
The port city bourse traded 2.32 million shares and mutual fund units with a turnover value worth Tk 125 million.