The capital market in Bangladesh continues to experience a persistent downturn, with the majority of listed companies seeing a decline in share and unit prices almost daily. This ongoing depreciation has deepened investor losses and fueled widespread frustration. On Sunday, the first trading day of the week, the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) saw the share and unit prices of four times as many companies fall compared to those that gained. As a result, all major indices declined, though transaction volumes slightly increased. Out of the eight trading sessions so far in 2025, the market has faced price drops in five.

The previous year, 2024, witnessed a significant market crash, with the DSE’s market capitalization falling by BDT 1.18 trillion. This decline reflected the collective decrease in the share and unit prices of listed companies. Additionally, the DSE’s key index plummeted by 1,030 points during the year. Investors had hoped for a recovery in 2025, but the new year has not begun on a positive note, as the market remains trapped in the cycle of depreciation.

Market analysis reveals that while trading on Sunday began with rising prices for many shares and units, selling pressure from some investors towards the end of the session caused all major indices to decline. By the day’s close, 69 companies recorded price gains, while 282 saw price drops, and 48 remained unchanged. The DSEX, the primary index, fell by 38 points to 5,156. The DS30, comprising the top 30 companies, declined by 17 points to 1,907, and the DSES Shariah Index dropped by 4 points to 1,157.

Despite the declining indices, DSE’s transaction volume increased to BDT 3.71 billion from the previous session’s BDT 3.24 billion, an increase of BDT 469.7 million. Fine Foods played a significant role in this increase, with BDT 193.9 million worth of shares traded, followed by Orion Infusion at BDT 130.3 million and Midland Bank at BDT 126.3 million. Other top-traded companies included Aftab Automobiles, Prime Finance First Mutual Fund, Wimax Electrode, Asiatic Laboratories, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, Grameenphone, and Robi.

In the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), the CASPI index fell by 19 points. Of the 189 traded companies, 38 saw price increases, 115 experienced declines, and 36 remained unchanged. The transaction volume at CSE totaled BDT 39.5 million, down from the previous session’s BDT 73.9 million.