Stocks posted marginal fall last week that ended Thursday, snapping a three-week gaining spell, as investors were mostly cautious amid lack of clear direction of the market.
Market insiders said the investors remained vigilant throughout the week as the central bank unveiled monetary policy statement (MPS) for the July-December period of 2016.
Investors were also watchful on the quarterly earning declarations of the listed companies.
"After showing a lack of direction in index throughout the week, the market inched down amid ongoing earning session, while the Bangladesh Bank (BB) unveiled a cautious monetary policy targeting higher economic growth," said an analyst at a leading brokerage firm.
"Disclosures-driven trades were also in the market throughout the week as the listed companies started to release quarterly earnings results," he said.
Among the large-cap companies, GP increased by 4.90 per cent, while the Islami Bank, Lafarge Surma Cement and Olympic Industries, declined by 4.80 per cent, 4.20 per cent and 3.20 per cent respectively.
The week witnessed five trading sessions as usual. Of them, three sessions posted marginal fall, while two edged higher.
Week-on-week, DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), went down by 15.52 points or 0.34 per cent to finish the week at 4,538.26.
The two other indices also edged lower. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, fell 7.78 points or 0.44 per cent to settle at 1,771.51. The DSE Shariah Index also dropped 3.07 points or 0.28 per cent to close at 1,111.18.
The port city bourse Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also finished slightly lower with its Selective Categories Index, CSCX, falling 28.87 points or 0.34 per cent to settle at 8,499.26.

The total turnover for the week stood at Tk 19.63 billion, which was 18 per cent lower than the previous week's Tk 23.94 billion as last week saw five trading sessions compared to the previous week's six.
The daily turnover averaged Tk 3.93 billion, registering a decline of 1.60 per cent over the previous week's average of Tk 3.99 billion.
Overall activities remained confined on, engineering, pharmaceuticals and fuel and power sectors, where they captured 17 per cent, 16 per cent and 15 per cent respectively of the week's total turnover.
"Stocks ended with moderate loss in benchmark index, after the Bangladesh Bank's announcement of a cautiously accommodative monetary policy for first half of fiscal year 2017," said LankaBangla Securities, a stockbroker, in its weekly market analysis.
City Bank Capital, said, "The correction was triggered by slow participation and pursuance of profit booking by the investors made some selling pressure on the market".
"The stocks observed a downbeat trend last week as the investors' participation was shaky amid lack of clear market direction," said International Leasing Securities, a stockbroker, in an analysis.
The stockbroker noted that investors remained cautious and observed the market after unveiling the monetary policy statement for the July-December period of 2016.
"Some investors were in selling mode where the institutional investors reluctant to make fresh investments amid watchfulness and shaky market sentiment," said the stockbroker.
IDLC Investments, a merchant bank, said, "The market was traded in a thin band throughout the week, with volatile move in stocks prices. However, few issues showed steep moves as their respective quarterly declarations entered the market".
Losers took a modest lead over the gainers as out of 328 issues traded, 178 closed lower, 122 closed higher and 28 remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor last the week.
National Life Insurance, Linde BD (interim), Marico Bangladesh (interim), Reckitt Benckiser (interim) and eight ICB mutual funds recommended dividend last week.
The market capitalisation of the DSE edged up by 0.30 per cent last week as it was Tk 3,212.84 billion on the opening day of the week and it rose to Tk 3,222.45 billion on closing day of the week.
Grameenphone (GP) dominated the week's turnover chart with some 3.10 million shares worth Tk 866 million changing hands, followed by Bangladesh Steel Re-rolling Mills, ACME Laboratories, Delta Brac Housing Finance and Square Pharmaceuticals.
Renwick Jajneswar was the week's best performer for the second week in a row, posting a gain of 50.24 per cent, while BD Thai Aluminium was the worst loser, slumping by 31.21 per cent.
    babulfexpress@gmail.com [Read More]

—–
Source: The Financial Express