After showing a slight upward trend last week, the stock market in Bangladesh experienced a decline on the first trading day of this week, Sunday. Most companies listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) saw their share prices drop, leading to a decrease in the market index and trading volume. The day began with a rise in the prices of most shares and units, resulting in an initial increase in the index. However, within the first hour of trading, this trend reversed, with many companies moving from the gainers’ list to the losers’ list.

By the end of the session, the downward trend persisted for most companies, expanding the list of decliners. As a result, all major indices closed lower. The DSE’s benchmark index, DSEX, dropped by 25 points to 5,196. The Shariah index fell by 5 points to 1,162, while the DS30 index, which tracks the top 30 companies, declined by 3 points to 1,935.

Trading volume also shrank, with total transactions amounting to BDT 312.91 crore, down from the previous day’s BDT 335.59 crore—a decrease of BDT 22.68 crore. Orion Infusion led the trading activity, with shares worth BDT 25.13 crore changing hands. Robi Axiata secured the second spot with BDT 22.62 crore in transactions, followed by Central Insurance with BDT 10.62 crore.

Other top-performing companies in terms of trade volume included GPH Ispat, Dragon Sweater, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, Fine Foods, Grameenphone, Wimax Electrode, and Beacon Pharma. Meanwhile, the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also witnessed a decline, with its CASPI index dropping by 54 points. Of the 176 companies traded, 42 saw price increases, 110 faced declines, and 24 remained unchanged, with a total turnover of BDT 15.40 crore.