Stock markets remained lacklustre on August 4 amid thin trade as investors put off taking fresh positions until at least the end of the Eid vacation starting tomorrow.
Analysts said investors preferred to stay on the sidelines as they awaited developments on the political front after Eid.
The benchmark DSEX was down 78 points or 2% to 3,834. The blue chip index DS30 declined 36 points or 0.5% to 1,440, extending its losses for the fourth straight session.
The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, dropped 138 points lower to 7,566.
"Concern of post Eid-Ul-Fitr political warm-up notched investors' sentiment very negatively throughout the session," said IDLC Investment in its daily market analysis.
Activity declined sharply as total turnover came down to Tk2bn; the lowest in 47 sessions and 32.7% lower than the previous session's value.
"Investors were upholding a much more logical approach in their trading activities as they were focusing on cautious and lucrative positioning," said IDLC.
The market breadth remained negative as out of 278 issues traded, 65 advanced, 199 declined and 14 remained unchanged.
Political uncertainty may have caused the investors to hold back their investment decisions, according to Lanka Bangla Securities.
It said financial sector companies continued to take be battered as the dismal earnings performance of these companies discouraged investors.
All the sectors ended lower except paper and printing which remained flat. Among the major sectors, financial institutions lost the most, going down by 3.42%.
It was followed by power and telecommunications that shedding 2.66%, pharmaceuticals 1.77% and banks 1.45%.
Mutual funds dominated the top ten gainers chart as four close-ended funds featured in the list.
Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company was the most traded stock with turnover Tk153m changing hands, followed by Olympic Industries, Meghna Petroleum, Padma Oil, Grameenphone, Square Pharmaceuticals, Jamuna Oil, Titas Gas and United Airways.
