Stocks maintain gaining streak

Country's both the bourses, Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE),  witnessed an upward trend like earlier as investors continued their buying spree on large-cap issues amid optimism. Stocks edged higher for the second straight session as the bargain hunters showed their buying interest on selective lucrative issues. DSEX, the key index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), went up by 22.25 points or 0.35 per cent to settle at 6,342. Two other indices also ended marginally higher. The DSE 30 Index, comprising blue chips, advanced 9.37 points to finish at 2,294 and the DSE Shariah Index (DSES) rose 4.84 points to close at 1,385. Turnover, the crucial indicator of the market, also rose and total turnover amounted to Taka 8.18 billion, which was 17 per cent higher than the previous day's tally of Taka 7.0 billion.

Gainers took a strong lead over the losers as out of 382 issues traded, 199 advanced, 133 declined and 50 remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor. Shinepukur Ceramics was the most-traded stock with shares worth Taka 368 million changing hands, closely followed by Beximco (Taka 291 million), Fu- Wang Food (Taka 226 million), BD Finance (Taka 225 million) and Delta Life Insurance (Taka 176 million).

Newly listed Meghna Insurance was the top gainer, posting a 9.94 per cent gain while IPDC Finance was the day's worst loser, losing 2.0 per cent. The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also saw modest rise with the CSE All Share Price Index - CASPI -gaining 46 points to settle at 18,663 and the Selective Categories Index - CSCX -gaining 24 points to close at 11,187. Of the issues traded, 160 advanced, 97 declined and 36 issues remained unchanged on the CSE trading floor. The port city's bourse traded 28.55 million shares and mutual fund units with turnover value worth nearly Taka 604 million.