Stocks ended the holiday-shortened week largely unchanged as investor concerns over corporate earnings, dividend announcements, and ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainties weighed on market sentiment. The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) witnessed subdued trading activity throughout the week, with only three sessions conducted due to the Durga Puja holidays.
The benchmark DSEX index declined marginally by 1.43 points to close at 5,450.60. Despite this near-flat finish, the index has now dropped roughly 127 points over the past four consecutive weeks, pointing to sustained market weakness. Market analysts attributed the lack of sustained recovery to cautious investor behavior amid persistent inflation, high energy costs, and escalating tensions in the Middle East.
More than 20 listed companies released their quarterly and annual financial results during the week. Many reported earnings that fell short of expectations, further dampening investor confidence. The week opened with renewed selling pressure following a brief recovery in earlier sessions. Additionally, technical glitches affecting trading terminals at several brokerage firms disrupted market operations, compounding the subdued trading volume.
Investor participation remained low, with single-day turnover plummeting to its lowest level of the year on the first trading day of the week. Overall turnover on the DSE totaled Tk 11.86 billion, less than half the previous week’s Tk 23.53 billion, although this was partly due to the reduced number of sessions. Average daily turnover declined over 16% to Tk 3.95 billion compared to the prior week.
Sector-wise, the textile industry accounted for the largest share of turnover at 23.5%, followed by general insurance at 12.6% and banking stocks at 11.3%. Market breadth was negative, with 213 issues declining against 126 advancing, and 42 remaining unchanged. Food, pharmaceuticals, and engineering stocks experienced declines, whereas banking, power, and telecommunications sectors posted gains.
Among large-cap stocks, significant selling pressure came from Beacon Pharma, Islami Bank, National Bank, Sharp Industries, and Apex Footwear, collectively dragging the DSEX lower by about 11 points. Offsetting these losses were gains in BRAC Bank, Prime Bank, Eastern Bank, Asiatic Laboratories, and Matin Spinning Mills, which helped stabilize the index by the week’s close.
The DS30 index, tracking blue-chip shares, ended with a seven-point gain at 2,103. Conversely, the Shariah-compliant DSES index dropped more than seven points to finish at 1,078. Saihham Textile led trading activity with Tk 80 million worth of shares changing hands, followed by Paramount Textile, Sonali Aansh Industries, Prime Bank, and BRAC Bank.
On the regional front, the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) recorded gains, with its All Share Price Index (CASPI) rising 28 points to 14,601 and the Selective Categories Index (CSCX) increasing by 27 points to 8,975.
Looking ahead, market participants remain focused on upcoming earnings and dividend announcements, the impact of proposed regulatory reforms, and ongoing geopolitical developments that could influence market direction in the near term.