Stocks fell on profit booking on Tuesday after sharp rally in last two days.
Benchmark index DGEN dropped by 216 points or 3.38 per cent to 6173.38, after touching the day's high at 6518.41 in morning session and lowest at 6150.21 in the closing session. Market opened with a positive tone in early trading sessions, but profit-booking and selling pressure in mid-session pulled the marker down significantly, said dealers.
Some, however, said, investors are still in doubt about the market's stability as confidence is yet to be gained fully despite the government's efforts to prop up the market.
Turnover rose to Tk. 8.90 billion, up by 66.7 per cent over the previous session. Out of the 252 issues traded, 28 gained and 224 lost.
All sectors closed in the negative territory except non-banking financial institutions which gained 0.86 per cent on expectations of dividend declaration.
But the major sectors such as banking, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and energy declined 4.29 per cent, 4.42 per cent, 3.46 per cent and 4.75 per cent respectively.
Southeast Bank topped the losers' list with a drop of 10.57 per cent as its corporate declarations failed to satisfy investors' appetite.
The bank announced a 20 per cent stock dividend and a 10 per cent cash dividend for the year 2010.
Other top losers include City General Insurance, RAK Ceramics, Keya Detergent, Meghna Petroleum, Malek Spinning, Prime Bank and NBL.
National Bank Ltd (NBL) was the top turnover leader with shares worth Tk. 684.19 million changing hands, followed by Peoples Leasing, Beximco Ltd, Bay Leasing, Union Capital, Southeast Bank, ILFSL, Grameenphone, Prime Bank and United Commercial Bank.
Prime Finance, First Lease International, ACI, Union Capital, Uttara Finance and IDLC were the prominent gainers.
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