Investors on edge as stock index dips to six-month low

Dhaka stocks fell for the fifth consecutive trading day, with the broad index dropping to its lowest level since Aug 23 last year.

Most stocks on the Dhaka and Chittagong bourses fell in prices on Monday.

Trading on the Dhaka Stock Exchange started strong on Monday before a sharp drop. The benchmark index, DSEX, fell as much as 1.98 percent in an early swing before it pared down losses to close 0.31 percent lower. The index has lost 6 percent so far this year.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange index, the CASPI, fell nearly 88 points to 18,130.

The DSEX fell by 133 points, or 2.21 percent, on Sunday, the largest drop in three years.

As the losing streak continued, the market rout took the DSEX down to 5,869 on Monday. The DSE counted Tk 4.4 billion in transactions on Monday, up Tk 75 million from Sunday.

The prices of 111 companies and mutual funds on the bourse increased in price on Monday, 186 fell and 38 remained unchanged.

Total transactions on the Chittagong Stock Exchange amounted to Tk 198.6 million on Monday, down Tk 32.23 million from Sunday.

The prices of 74 companies and mutual funds listed on the bourse increased, 125 fell and 21 remained unchanged.