Dhaka stocks slide as Middle East tensions unsettle investors
DSEX falls 60 points to close at 5,257
Renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East unsettled Bangladesh's stock market today, as the sudden collapse of the Iran–US ceasefire erased investor optimism and triggered broad-based selling across sectors.
The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) witnessed a broad-based decline, with the DSEX shedding 60 points to close at 5,257. Of the 390 traded securities, 306 issues declined, 70 advanced, and 14 remained unchanged, reflecting heightened investor caution.
According to EBL Securities, the market opened sharply lower as panic selling gripped investors early in the session.
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Although a brief wave of bargain hunting provided temporary support, selling pressure intensified as the session progressed, driven by fading confidence and persistent uncertainty surrounding the evolving Iran–US conflict.
Turnover also took a hit, dropping 22% to Tk776 crore from Tk991 crore in the previous session, indicating reduced participation as cautious investors refrained from taking fresh exposure.
Sector-wise, engineering stocks dominated turnover, accounting for 15.9% of the total, followed by pharmaceuticals at 12.7% and textiles at 9.3%. Despite relatively high activity in these sectors, most ended in negative territory.
Mutual funds, travel, and life insurance stocks recorded the steepest corrections, reflecting the broader risk-off sentiment. A handful of sectors, including services and tannery, managed to post marginal gains, but these advances were insufficient to offset the overall market decline.
Among individual stocks, Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag topped the turnover chart, followed by Acme Pesticides, Lovello Ice-Cream, and Dominage Steel.
On the gainers' side, Bengal Windsor Thermoplastic led the rally, while Prime Finance, Familytex, Bangladesh Industrial Finance Company (BIFC), and Generation Next emerged as the worst performers of the day.
The bearish sentiment extended to the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), where both key indices closed lower. The CSCX declined by 20 points, while the CASPI fell by 44.2 points, mirroring the cautious stance of investors across the country's equity markets.
