The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) authority yesterday emphasised the need for bringing some good stocks like telecommunications, infrastructure and communications sector to the market in the New Year.

At a press conference they also laid emphasise to the introduction of book building, formation of independent central clearing company and establishment of futures market by 2011.

They said investors' awareness and active participation of institutional investment would help continue the pace of the stock market.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of DSE AFM Shariful Islam presented the keynote paper at the press conference while Chief Financial Officer of DSE Satipati Moitra discussed various issues of the stock market.

They said the highest turnover of the year 2008 was on October 10 at Tk 590.51 crore and the general price index on June 1 was highest 3207.89. During the year 15 companies were listed in the market directly alongside 12 companies floating initial public offerings.

During the year the DSE has opened branch offices in Chittagong, Sylhet and Khulna and introduced trading facilities from 12 other cities. The DSE also has added two new CPUs to facilitate trading. The market capitalisation was 1043.80 billion after the end of 2008, which is 19.26 per cent of total GDP.

They hoped that there would be scope to increase market capitalisation and GDP ratio in the future through taking market friendly policies.

In the first day of 2009 the Dhaka Stock market experienced sharp rise manifesting 12.28 per cent gain. The general index reached to 2807.12. However, the turnover was Tk 30 lakh less than the last day.

Sammit Power, Titas Gas, Beximco Pharma, ACI Formulations, Grameen-2, ACI, AIMS First Mutual Fund, Shinepukur Ceramics, National Bank Ltd and Beximco were the top gainers of yesterday's trading.