Stocks fell slightly amid volatility yesterday, after a day of rise, as investors remained indecisive in the wake of ongoing political unrest in the country.
The market lost its upward momentum after the first one and half an hour of trade and then selling pressure pulled the market down at close.
After rising nearly 20 points in the morning, the benchmark index, DSEX, lost marginally 6 points or 0.2% to 4,963, scaling back from previous day’s one-month high.
The Shariah index, DSES, inched nearly 3 points or 0.3% down to 1,183. The comprising blue chips DS30 shed slightly 2 points or 0.2% to 1,857.
Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, was down 16 points to 9,192.
The large cap sectors posted mixed performance with slim movements. Bank, telecommunications and pharmaceuticals lost marginally. Cement, food and allied, engineering, textile non-banking financial institution and power gained marginally.
Trading at DSE shrunk by 6.8% to almost Tk300 crore over the previous session’s value.
Investors remained shaky over the current political situation, making the market volatile with slight rise, said a trader. “The list of investors that have already adopted wait and see policy enlarged due to political upheaval,” he said.
The country is facing non-stop blockade programme enforced by the 20-party alliance since Monday last to protest against the arrests of its leaders and activists in connection with the holding of its January 5 rally.
Lanka Bangla Securities said investors continued to act indecisive amid jittery sign in political arena.
IDLC Investments said market participation remained weak while index closed almost flat.
Investors remained concentrated in large cap scrips reflected by the fact that among the top ten most liquid stocks five were large caps, it added.
Gainers beat losers as out of 311 issues traded, 123 advanced, 138 declined and 50 remained unchanged.
Lafarge Surma Cement was the most traded stock for the fourth consecutive day with shares worth Tk1.8 crore changing hands, followed by DESCO, Mobil Jamuna Bangladesh, Beximco Pharma, Saif Power Tech.
