Bangladesh’s capital market recorded a surprising rebound yesterday, even as political unease intensified ahead of the verdict in a high-profile case involving deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and two of her former aides, accused of crimes against humanity. Despite the unsettling atmosphere, investor sentiment remained unexpectedly resilient, allowing the key indices at both major stock exchanges to close the day on a positive note.

At the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the benchmark DSEX rose by 42 points, or 0.90%, closing at 4,774. The upward trend was mirrored across other indices as well, signalling broad buying activity. The DSES, which monitors shariah-compliant companies, climbed 15.30 points or 1.55% to reach 1,000, while the DS30, the index representing major blue-chip stocks, gained 9.37 points or 0.50%, finishing at 1,869.90.

Market participation was notably strong. Out of all traded issues, 322 advanced, 35 declined, and 16 remained unchanged, indicating clear bullish sentiment. Total turnover surged 18% year-on-year, amounting to Tk 348 crore, reflecting investor confidence despite the day’s tense national mood.

The pharmaceuticals sector dominated trading activity, contributing 14.2% of total turnover. Square Pharmaceuticals emerged as the most traded stock of the day, followed by Anwar Galvanizing Ltd and Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag Industries Ltd. However, Square Pharma’s share price slipped by 4.66%, closing at Tk 203, demonstrating selective profit-booking within the sector.

Among the day’s strongest performers, GPH Ispat led the gainers with a significant 9.8% jump. Other notable risers included Intech Online, ISN Limited, Sharp Industries, and Lovello Ice Cream, reflecting growing investor interest across diverse sectors.

Sector-wise, mutual funds showed the highest improvement with a robust 3.7% rise, followed by the IT sector, life insurance, and non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs). According to UCB Stock Brokerage Limited, top-performing sectors included NBFIs, jute, and cement, although the telecommunications and miscellaneous sectors experienced minor declines.

BRAC EPL Stock Brokerage noted that most large-cap sectors remained in positive territory. NBFIs led the pack with a 1.71% rise, followed by engineering (1.61%), banking (1%), fuel and power (0.99%), food and allied (0.70%), and telecommunications (0.63%). Pharmaceuticals was the only sector to post a daily loss, declining by 0.63%.

At the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), the positive momentum continued. The CASPI, its main index, advanced by 41.70 points, or 0.31%, finishing the session at 13,368.53.

Despite the fraught political landscape, the market’s performance reflected investors’ long-term optimism and confidence in Bangladesh’s economic fundamentals.

Data Summary