The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Majority of the shares on both the bourses in Dhaka and Chittagong plunged further yesterday triggering protest of general investors at Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE).

Amidst a low trading at DSE, the total turnover dipped to Tk 2.58 billion from Tuesday's Tk 3.30 billion. Of the traded issues, 115 declined, 90 gained and 11 remained unchanged as 20,022,180 shares changed hands

A total of 134 issues were traded at Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) yesterday. Of them, 59 gained, 75 declined and one remained unchanged. Turnover on the port city's bourse plunged to Tk 281.79 million from Tk 344.14 million the previous day-from 2,694,526 traded shares.

However, indices on the bourses ended higher yesterday, driven by blue chips as the investors were keen to trade in market majors.

Investors, especially small ones, were reluctant to trade following regulatory interventions. A group of investors staged demonstration against the Security and Exchange Commission's decision to bar mutual funds from declaring stock dividends.

The DGEN or general index of DSE rose 28.73 points or 0.95 per cent at 3029.23. The DSI or all-share price index advanced 14.80 points or 0.57 per cent to finish at 2602.82, while the DSE-20 blue-chip index gained 34.21 points or 1.34 per cent to 2579.38.

In Chittagong, the CSCX or selective categories index closed 73.59 points or 1.25 per cent higher at 5927.17,

while the CASPI or all-share price index finished at 9146.93, up 96.37 points or 1.06 per cent.

The CSE-30 surged 169.54 points or 2.10 per cent to end on 8206.56.

Square Pharmaceuticals topped the turnover board, rising 1.53 per cent to Tk 5542.75 at DSE.

AIMS 1st Mutual Fund slumped 15.60 per cent to Tk 12.93. Lanka Bangla Finance finished at Tk 215, slipping 2.84 per cent from Monday's closing.

Uttara Bank gained 6.60 per cent to Tk 3003. Apex Adelchi Footwear ended on Tk 3886.50, gaining 6.34 per cent.

Other scrips on the turnover board-Padma Oil, NBL and Prime Finance and Investment-advanced. Fareast Life Insurance and Grameen One Mutual Fund lost.