Dhaka Stocks fall for fourth straight session post-election
DSEX falls 53 points, extends post-election losing streak
The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) extended its losing streak today (19 February), marking the fourth consecutive session of decline since the national election.
Over the four trading sessions, the benchmark DSEX shed a cumulative 135 points, reflecting persistent selling pressure and cautious investor sentiment.
Today, the DSEX fell 53 points to close at 5,466. The blue-chip DS30 index dropped 12 points to 2,098, while the Shariah-based DSES declined 10 points to end at 1,095.
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Turnover on the premier bourse plunged 40.17% to Tk560 crore, down from Tk936 crore in the previous session, indicating weaker market participation. Of the 392 issues traded, only 46 advanced, while 313 declined and 33 remained unchanged, underscoring the broad-based downturn.
Market participants attributed the slump to investor caution as they assessed the post-election political and economic landscape.
Many investors remained on the sidelines, awaiting clearer signals on policy direction and the formation of a new securities commission.
The lack of clarity regarding regulatory leadership and potential reforms continued to weigh on sentiment.
Analysts said uncertainty over possible regulatory changes and expectations surrounding appointments at the securities regulator contributed to subdued trading activity. Institutional investors, in particular, appeared reluctant to take fresh positions without greater visibility on policy continuity and market-stabilisation measures.
Over the past year, prolonged political uncertainty and regulatory decisions that failed to restore investor confidence have driven a sustained market downturn. A significant number of retail investors exited the market, while institutional and high-net-worth investors largely stayed inactive, leading to notable declines even in fundamentally strong stocks.
All major large-cap sectors closed in the red. The NBFI sector posted the steepest loss, falling 1.75%, followed by Engineering (1.46%), Fuel & Power (1.23%), and Telecommunication (1.20%). Pharmaceuticals declined 0.94%, Food & Allied lost 0.67%, and the Bank sector edged down 0.12%.
Block market transactions accounted for 3.5% of total turnover, reflecting limited negotiated large-volume trades.
Analysts believe the market may gradually stabilise in the coming months if policy consistency and investor-friendly measures are ensured.
