The Dhaka stock market had an unfavorable week, with all indices consistently declining and the majority of company shares following a downward trend. A review of the Dhaka Stock Exchange's (DSE) weekly trading reveals that, over the course of five working days, the main index DSEX fell by 23 points. Starting at 5,225 points, the index ended the week at 5,201 points. Among the other two indices, the Shariah-based DSES dropped by 13 points and the blue-chip company index, DS-30, saw a decrease of 7 points. Wall Street's sell-off slows a bit on Tuesday The situation was particularly dire for small and medium-sized companies. The SME index of DSE fell by 16 points, with the sector losing 1.63% of its index over the week. Throughout the week, most company shares showed a downward trend. While 149 companies saw price increases, 207 companies saw declines in their share prices. The prices of 38 companies remained unchanged, and 18 companies did not participate in the trading. From the start of the week, as the prices of most shares fell, a rush of share selling ensued among investors. This led to increased trading volume, but it did not result in a rise in the overall share prices. The average daily turnover on DSE during the five trading days was Tk 478 crore, which was nearly 22% higher than the previous week.  Despite the increased trading volume, the total market capitalisation decreased. According to data from brokerage houses, many investors have left the market, causing investor confidence to plummet. As per the DSE's weekly report, the market capitalisation decreased by USD 333 million over the week. Stock Market registers fall on first day of Ramadan trading Throughout the week, sectors such as banking, IT, life insurance, textiles, general insurance, tannery, telecom, and jute saw a significant decrease in returns. On the other hand, mutual funds, ceramics, real estate, paper industry, financial institutions, corporate bonds, engineering, energy, and pharmaceuticals witnessed good returns. Among these, mutual funds showed the highest return of 5.14%. The most traded stock of the week was Shinepukur Ceramics, with a total transaction of Tk 16.19 crore over the five working days. Square Pharmaceuticals PLC was second, with a total of Tk 14.5 crore in transactions for the week. In the block market, the highest volume of shares was sold from Marico. Express Insurance Limited, Bank Asia, Beach Hatchery, and Khan Brothers followed in terms of highest sales. In the list of companies that saw the highest price increase over the week, Progressive Life Insurance Limited topped the list, with a 30% increase in its share price. The company’s shares, which started at Tk 47, ended the week at Tk 62. Stock market trends maintain upward momentum in Dhaka, Chattogram Conversely, the worst-performing company in terms of price drop was Alif Industries Limited, whose share price decreased by 13.57%. Starting at Tk 65, the share price fell to Tk 56 by the end of the week. In a bid to improve the dire state of the stock market, the government formed a four-member committee on Monday (17 March) for the development of the market. The committee’s purpose, as stated, is to further strengthen the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) and, ultimately, to work on the overall development of the country's stock market. The first meeting of this committee was held on the last working day of the week, chaired by the Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, Anisulzaman Chowdhury. Market participants are saying that both the task force and the committee must take effective measures, as mere meetings will not solve the ongoing problems in the market. On the other hand, the downtrend of the index continued at the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE). The overall index at CSE fell by 17 points. Although trading began at 14,576 points, by the end of the week, the index stood at 14,559 points. Throughout the week, 302 companies participated in the CSE's trading, with the share prices of 154 companies rising, 124 companies' prices falling, and 24 companies maintaining unchanged prices. Stock indices decline in Dhaka, Chittagong markets; trading volume rises During the five trading days, the highest trading volume was recorded for shares of United Commercial Bank. Other companies among the top traded included Uttara Bank, Fine Foods, Robi, Fu-Wan Ceramics, and Shinepukur Ceramics. The top performer in terms of price increase at CSE was Paramount Insurance Company, with the share price increasing by Tk 10 within a week. Other companies in strong positions include Shinepukur Ceramics, DBH First Mutual, Semi Lecture Equity Management, and S Alam Cold Rolled Steels. On the other hand, the highest price decrease was seen in Suhrid Industries Limited, with a fall of Tk 15 in its share price within the week. Like the DSE, a sharp decline was also observed in Alif Industries at CSE, with its share price falling by Tk 14 during the five trading days.

Stock indices in both Dhaka and Chittagong's stock markets saw a decline on the fourth trading day of the week on Wednesday. While all the indices dropped in both markets, overall trading volume increased. The main index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), DSEX, decreased by 2 points. Among the other two indices, the Shariah-based DSES dropped by 1 point and the DS-30 index fell by more than half a point. Despite the decline in the indices, trading volume saw an increase compared to the previous day. A total of Tk 482 crore worth of shares and units were traded on the DSE, up from Tk 451 crore the previous day. The share prices of most companies participating in the trading session fell. Out of 395 companies, 150 saw price increases, while 186 companies experienced price declines. The prices of shares for 59 companies remained unchanged throughout the day. Stock market trends maintain upward momentum in Dhaka, Chattogram In terms of categories, the majority of shares in the A and Z categories saw price declines, while most shares in the B category saw price increases. Of the 82 companies in the mid-range B category, 39 saw price increases, 33 saw price decreases, and 10 experienced no change in share prices. Among mutual funds, 24 out of the 36 listed companies experienced price increases. Four companies saw a decrease in prices, while the prices of eight companies remained unchanged. In the block market, shares worth Tk 26.92 crore were sold from 26 companies. Among these, Bank Asia saw the highest trading value, selling shares worth Tk 10.78 crore in the block market. Of the companies traded on the DSE, Prime Finance First Mutual Fund was at the top with a 10% price increase, while Tallu Spinning Mills was at the bottom with a 3.39% price decrease. Chittagong Market Also Sees Decline Similar to Dhaka, Chittagong's stock market also experienced a decline. The overall index of the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) fell by over 1 point. Despite the decline in the index, trading volume increased in the CSE as well. A total of Tk 6.94 crore worth of shares and units were traded on the CSE, compared to Tk 3.83 crore the previous day. Out of 193 companies that participated in the trading session, 86 saw price increases, 79 experienced price declines, and 28 saw no change in prices. In the CSE, Padma Islamic Life Insurance Limited led the market with a 10% price increase, while Beach Hatchery Limited saw the largest price decline, down 9.97%.

The DSE Brokers Association (DBA) has sought the intervention of the chief adviser to bring good companies to the stock market. The DBA, an organization of brokerage house owners of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), sought this intervention in a letter written to Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday. The letter was given by DBA President Saifur Islam, according to a press release. The DBA said that the capital market has been going through extreme irregularities, mismanagement and instability for 15 years. Due to various irregularities, numerous institutions in the stock market have become almost ineffective and failed institutions. During this time, the market has shrunk by 40 percent in real terms. Again, the market has suffered irreparable damage due to the lowest price level or floor price in several rounds since 2020, said the letter. As a result, international fund managers have turned their backs on Bangladesh, and local investors' investments have also been damaged. In the last 15 years, crores of taka have been looted from the market through unscrupulous initial public offerings (IPO) listings. This has created a permanent liquidity and confidence crisis in the market, said the DBA President in the letter. JCI Dhaka Heritage launches  “ALOK," The DBA also said that in the current situation, there has been a serious crisis of trust among market participants including regulatory agencies, market management agencies, listed companies, market intermediaries and financial auditors, and credit rating agencies. “To overcome this crisis and enrich the market, good companies should be listed along with new products. Investors will also benefit from this. Through this, new investors will be attracted to the market and the liquidity problem will also be solved,” the letter wrote.

The uptrend in the stock market continues, with both the Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges reporting increased trading on the third trading day of the week, Tuesday. Along with the rise in the main indexes, the prices of most companies' stocks and overall trading volume have also surged. On the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the main index, DSEX, rose by 8 points. The two other indices—Shariah-based DSES and the blue-chip stock index DS-30—also saw increases, with both rising by 4 points each. Most stocks on the DSE experienced a price increase. Out of 397 companies that participated in the trading, the stock prices of 182 companies went up, while 138 saw a decrease and 77 remained unchanged. Bangladesh’s stock market plunges on week’s first trading day In terms of category-wise performance, stocks in the 'A' category, which represents well-performing companies, and 'B' category stocks, representing mid-level companies, saw price hikes. But the 'Z' category, which includes companies with lower performance, saw a decline in stock prices. Among the 97 companies in this category, 31 saw price increases, while 42 experienced a drop, and 24 companies had unchanged stock prices. Of the 36 mutual funds that traded, the prices of most remained unchanged. In contrast, 12 mutual funds saw price increases, while 7 experienced a decrease. In the block market, 29 companies participated in trading, with shares worth 21.67 crore taka being sold. Beach Hatchery led the pack with the highest sales, reaching 7.82 crore taka. In terms of performance, S Alam Cold Rolled Steels saw a notable price increase of 10%, topping the list, while Summit Power Limited experienced a 6.29% drop, landing at the bottom of the market. After six consecutive trading days, the total transaction on the DSE has now reached the 400 crore taka mark. The day’s total trading amounted to 412 crore taka in shares and units, a rise from the previous day’s 338 crore taka. Growth Trend Continues in Chattogram Alongside Dhaka, Chattogram’s stock market is also experiencing an upward trend in its indexes. On the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), the overall index increased by 35 points. Out of the 205 companies involved in trading, 102 saw their stock prices rise, while 68 experienced a decrease and 35 remained unchanged. The total trading volume on the CSE was Tk 11 crore, a significant rise from the previous day's 4 Tk crore. Among the top performers, Legacy Footwear Limited saw a 10% increase in its stock price, while Phoenix Insurance Limited dropped by 10%, placing it at the bottom of the list.

The past week has seen persistent declines in the stock market index, reduced trading volume, and internal conflicts within the regulatory body, all contributing to the ongoing instability. Over the last five trading days, despite a slight recovery in the final two sessions, the overall market trend remained negative. The Dhaka Stock Exchange’s (DSE) benchmark index, DSEX, fell by 43 points. Starting at 5,247 points on 2 March, the index dropped to 5,203 points by the closing session on March 6. Meanwhile, the blue-chip DS30 index shed 15 points, while the Shariah-based DSES index declined by 6 points over the week. The SME index experienced a severe downturn, falling below 1,000 points after a continuous decline. The DMMA index dropped from 1,017 points to 970 points, marking a 4.65% decrease from the previous week. Among the traded companies, most saw a decline in their share prices. Out of 289 companies that experienced a drop, only 86 recorded a price increase, while 20 remained unchanged. Trading volume in Dhaka's stock market fell by 28.79% in one week. Bangladesh’s stock market sees slight recovery after consecutive declines The daily average turnover, which had previously exceeded Tk 500 crore, plummeted to Tk 300 crore. Simultaneously, market capitalisation declined by 1.90%. Only three sectors—energy, paper, and leather—saw price increases throughout the week. In contrast, major sectors witnessed a significant downturn. The banking sector suffered a 27.61% decline in share prices, with trading volume decreasing by 31.91%. Out of 36 listed banks, 23 recorded a price drop, while only 4 banks witnessed an increase. The financial institutions sector faced an even worse situation, with a 29.49% drop in share prices and a 40.95% decline in trading volume. Among 23 listed financial institutions, 19 experienced a decline, 3 saw an increase, and 1 remained unchanged. The general and life insurance sectors witnessed massive sell-offs. Over five trading days, the general insurance sector saw a 43.23% decrease in share prices, while the life insurance sector faced a 59.16% drop. Top Performers and Market Trends Orion Infusion Limited recorded the highest turnover in Dhaka’s stock market, averaging Tk 21.46 crore in daily transactions. Prime Bank secured the second position, while Beach Hatchery Limited ranked third. In the block market, transactions worth Tk 114.70 crore took place. Prime Bank led with Tk 40 crore in transactions, followed by Beach Hatchery with Tk 18.80 crore. Progressive Life Insurance topped the gainers' list, with its share price increasing by 17.74%. On the other hand, S Alam Cold Rolled Steels Limited suffered the most, with a 14.83% decline. Chittagong Stock Market Also Struggles Similar to Dhaka, Chittagong’s stock market witnessed a declining trend. The overall index started at 14,633 points and fell to 14,502 points by the end of the trading week. Among 329 traded companies, 215 saw price declines, while 29 remained unchanged. Only 85 companies recorded price gains. Dhaka, Chattogram stock markets slump as indices, turnover decline Tasrifa Industries Limited topped the decliners’ list, losing 17.5% in share value over the week. After performing well in February, S Alam Cold Rolled Steels Limited saw a price drop of nearly 17%. Indo-Bangla Pharmaceuticals Limited led the gainers, with its share price rising by 16.98%. National Tea Company Limited, a Z-category firm, saw a 16.58% increase. The most traded stock in Chittagong was Robi, a leading telecom company. Regulatory Turmoil in BSEC In addition to the stock market downturn, the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) faced unprecedented internal unrest. Since joining in August 2024, current Chairman Rashed Maksud has been under fire due to continuous market declines, drawing criticism from general investors. Investors and brokerage officials have frequently voiced concerns in the media, stating that the commission’s reform measures, which ignore market sentiment, could further worsen conditions. During the market downturn, general investors demanded Maksud’s resignation, staging protests in Motijheel and even locking the commission’s main gate. Electronic VAT machines made mandatory at highway restaurants to halt cheating: NBR The crisis deepened as BSEC employees turned against Maksud, demanding his resignation. On 5 March, officials and employees of the commission confined the chairman and other commissioners in protest. Security forces later intervened to release them. However, Maksud made it clear that he would not step down. Protesters have warned of an indefinite strike if Maksud does not resign. If the situation remains unresolved, operational paralysis at BSEC is expected from 9 March. A director of DSE, speaking anonymously, stated, “For the past 15 years, BSEC has been operating arbitrarily. These unilateral actions have frustrated stakeholders. Now, internal discontent within the commission itself is sending a negative signal to the market.” Market analysts warn that unless the regulatory crisis is swiftly addressed and the stock market reform task force’s recommendations are gradually implemented, Bangladesh’s stock market may face prolonged instability.

The stock market, which has been fluctuating with ups and downs, saw a rise in Dhaka but a decline in Chattogram on the last trading day (Thursday) of the week. The prices of most companies participating in trading on both markets fell. On the day, the benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), DSEX, rose by 6 points. The other two indices, the Shariah-based DSES, increased by 2 points, while the blue-chip index DS-30 remained unchanged. Mixed trends in stock markets: DSE gains, CSE declines in early trading During the day, a total of 35.3 billion Tk was traded on the DSE, up from 31.8 billion Tk the previous day. Although the index increased, the prices of most companies involved in trading declined. Out of the 394 companies listed on the DSE, 139 saw a price increase, 169 saw a decrease, and the prices of 86 companies remained unchanged. In terms of categories, the majority of companies in the A, B, and Z categories experienced a price decline. DSE announces new trading hours for Ramadan On the other hand, out of 36 mutual funds, most of the prices remained unchanged, with 7 companies’ prices increasing, and 7 companies’ prices decreasing. In the block market, a total of 23 companies' shares, worth 4.365 billion Tk, were sold. Prime Bank had the largest share sale, amounting to 2.65 billion Tk. Among the top performers on the DSE, Desco (Dhaka Electric Supply Company) saw a price increase of 9.96%, while Alhaj Textile Limited experienced the largest decline of 9.75%. Decline in Chattogram While Dhaka saw a rise, the Chattogram stock market faced a decline on the last trading day of the week. On the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), the overall index dropped by 3 points. Out of the 228 companies involved in trading, 73 saw an increase in their prices, 115 saw a decrease, and the prices of 40 companies remained unchanged. Along with the drop in the index, trading volume also decreased on the CSE. A total of 300 million Tk worth of shares and units were traded, down from over 350 million Tk the previous day. On the final day of trading, C&Z Textiles Limited topped the CSE with a 10% price increase, while Hamid Fabrics PLC saw the biggest drop with a 10% price decline. END/UNB/MM/SAM

After three consecutive days of decline, the stock markets in Dhaka and Chattogram witnessed a slight rise in indices on Wednesday, the fourth trading day of the week. At the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the key index, DSEX, increased by 2 points. The other two indices, the Shariah-based DSES and the blue-chip DS30, saw marginal gains within decimal points. Despite the index increase, the majority of companies listed on the DSE experienced a drop in share prices. The daily transaction volume of shares and units also declined. The total transaction value stood at Tk 318 crore, down from Tk 338 crore on the previous trading day. Out of the 397 traded companies, 123 saw an increase in share prices, 184 witnessed a decline, while 90 remained unchanged. Banks disbursed Tk19215 crore of agriculture and rural credit in 7 months In terms of category-wise performance, most companies in the A, B, and Z categories registered price drops. Among the 36 mutual funds traded, the majority remained unchanged, with six gaining in value and ten declining. All three corporate bonds traded on the DSE saw a decrease in prices. Additionally, there were no transactions in government securities on Wednesday. In the block market, 30 companies sold 60 lakh shares worth Tk 17 crore. Beach Hatchery led this segment, selling 7.6 lakh shares for Tk 8.12 crore. Hakkani Pulp & Paper Mills Limited topped the gainers’ list with a 9.90% price increase, while Sonargaon Textile Limited suffered the highest loss, dropping by 9.28%. Slight Uptick in Chattogram Similar to Dhaka, the Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE) also experienced a modest increase in its overall index, which rose by 4 points. Of the 208 traded companies, 86 saw a rise in share prices, 86 declined, and 36 remained unchanged. Despite the index increase, the trading volume at CSE was lower compared to the previous day. The total value of transactions amounted to Tk 3.61 crore, down from Tk 4.37 crore. Legacy Footwear Limited emerged as the top gainer at the CSE, with a price increase of 9.81%, while Eastern Insurance Company Limited recorded the biggest drop, losing 9.88% in value.

The stock markets in Dhaka and Chattogram have been experiencing a continuous decline since the beginning of this trading week, a trend that persisted on the third consecutive day (Tuesday). The key index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) – the DSEX- dropped by 26 points, bringing the total loss over three days to 53 points. Last week, on the final trading day (27 February), the DSEX stood at 5,247 points, which has now declined to 5,194 points. Stock market manipulated for political gains: Amir Khosru   Other indices of the Dhaka market also suffered losses. The Shariah-based DSES fell by 4 points, while the DS30, which tracks select blue-chip stocks, declined by 8 points. In addition to falling indices, overall trading volume has also decreased. The total turnover for the day stood at Tk 338 crore, compared to Tk 381 crore the previous day. Out of the 396 companies that participated in the trading, only 65 saw an increase in share prices, while 267 registered a decline, and 64 remained unchanged. Stock market declines after 3-day rally Stock prices across all categories—A, B, and Z—were predominantly on a downward trend. Among the 37 mutual funds traded, only 2 gained in value, 15 declined, and 20 remained unchanged. Apart from the main index, the SME index of the DSE also witnessed a significant downturn. The DSMEX dropped by 23 points, marking a 2.33% decline from the previous day. Additionally, the trading volume in small and medium-sized listed companies hit rock bottom, with shares and units worth only Tk 1.81 crore changing hands, down from Tk 5.46 crore the previous day. Among DSE-listed companies, Indo-Bangla Pharmaceuticals Limited saw the highest price gain of 9.52%, while Sonargaon Textile Limited suffered the biggest loss, with its price dropping by 7.96%. In the block market, a total of 20 companies traded 17 lakh shares worth Tk 8 crore. ACI Limited led this segment, selling 1.5 lakh shares for Tk 2.47 crore. Significant Decline in Chattogram The Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE) also experienced a sharp decline alongside Dhaka. The overall index of the CSE fell by 82 points during the day’s trading. Among the 227 companies traded, 51 recorded price increases, 149 declined, and 27 remained unchanged. However, unlike the DSE, the CSE saw a slight increase in turnover. The total trading value at the CSE on Tuesday stood at Tk 4.37 crore, compared to Tk 3.31 crore the previous day. Bangladesh Lamps PLC led the CSE with a price gain of 9.97%, while Paramount Insurance PLC suffered the biggest loss, dropping by 9.98%. END/UNB/MM/SAM/

The stock markets in Dhaka and Chattogram faced another day of decline on Monday on the second trading session of the week, with key indices falling and trading volume dropping significantly across both bourses. The main DSEX index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) fell by 16 points. Besides, Shariah-based DSES index fell by 4 points, while the DS30 index, which represents blue-chip stocks, declined by 5 points. The total turnover at the DSE fell to Tk 381 crore, down from Tk 421 crore on the previous day. Due to this continuous two-day decline, total share and unit transactions have dropped to the Tk 300 crore range, the lowest in the past 15 days. Out of 396 companies traded on the DSE, share prices increased for 98, declined for 230, and remained unchanged for 68. Across different categories—A, B, and Z—the majority of shares experienced a downturn. Among 37 mutual funds, only three saw price increases, while 16 declined, and 18 remained unchanged. In the block market, a total of 23 companies traded 6.8 million shares worth Tk 22.25 crore. Prime Bank recorded the highest transaction in this segment, selling 5.4 million shares worth Tk 13.84 crore. Mixed trends in stock markets: DSE gains, CSE declines in early trading Despite the overall market downturn, the SME index in Dhaka saw a slight increase, rising by 4 points. However, the majority of SME stocks still experienced price drops. Among the 18 companies traded in this category, only two witnessed price gains, while 13 declined, and three remained unchanged. Shinepukur Ceramics, which had the lowest trading volume in the previous session, saw a 9.94% price increase, making it the top gainer. On the other hand, Shurwid Industries Limited suffered a 6.5% decline, ranking as the worst performer. Chattogram Also Faces Decline Similar to Dhaka, the Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE) also witnessed a downturn, with its overall index falling by 22 points. Among the 215 companies traded on the CSE, share prices increased for 61, declined for 111, and remained unchanged for 43. Along with the index drop, trading volume also fell at the CSE, with total transactions amounting to Tk 3.3 crore for the day, compared to Tk 5.16 crore in the previous session. Anlima Yarn Dyeing Limited led the gainers at the CSE, with a 10% price increase, while Bangladesh General Insurance Company suffered the biggest loss, declining by 9.79%. DSE opens lower, CSE sees early gains The consecutive declines in both markets reflect ongoing uncertainty among investors, with low trading volumes indicating a lack of confidence in market stability.

On the last trading day of the week, the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) saw a rise in its key index, while the overall index of the Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE) declined. On Thursday, the DSE's benchmark index, DSEX, gained 5 points at the opening of trading. Among the other indices, the Shariah-based DSES edged up by 1 point, while the blue-chip DS30 index dropped by 11 points. Most listed companies saw an increase in share prices. Out of the traded companies, 231 recorded gains, 68 experienced losses, and 73 remained unchanged. In the first hour, the total turnover at DSE surpassed Tk 130 crore. Bangladesh Bank sets new time for funds transfer and cheque clearing during Ramadan Meanwhile, at the Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE), the overall index dropped by 13 points. Among the 70 traded companies, share prices rose for 40, declined for 19, and remained unchanged for 11. CSE recorded a total turnover of over Tk 73 lakh in the first hour of trading.