DHAKA, Feb 18, 2025 (BSS) - Country's both the bourses -- Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) -- today plunged due to mainly price fall in large-cap securities.
 
DSEX, the broad index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, slightly declined by 8.3 points or 0.2% to settle at 5,203 points, as against 5,212 points in the previous trading session.
 
Market analysts observed that investors' profit booking pressure dominated the latter half of the session as they rebalanced portfolios to further capitalize on lucrative and trendy scrips as anticipation builds ahead of their corporate declarations.
 
Moreover, signals of interest rate easing in the money markets fostered cautious optimism among investors as they perceived some invigorating market activity ahead of the Ramadan season. 
 
Apparently, investor participation continued to increase as total turnover rose by 35.1% to a 3.5-month high of Taka 6.0 billion as against Taka 4.4 billion in the previous session. 
 
On the sectoral front, Pharma (14.2%) issues exerted the highest turnover, followed by Textile (11.3%) and Food (11.1%) sectors. Sectors displayed mixed returns, out of which Jute (-7.3%), Paper (-1.9%) and Services ( 1.2%) exerted the most comections, while Life Insurance (1.7%), Cement (0.7%) and Mutual Fund (0.7%) exhibited marginal gains on the bourse today. Out of the 397 issues traded, 135 advanced, 198 declined and 64 remained unchanged.
 
The port city hourse, CSE, also settled on red terrain. The Selective Categories' Index (CSCX) and All Share Price Index (CASPI) fell by 18.8 and 32.4 points, respectively.