Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) yesterday recorded its lowest turnover in a month, indicating that investors are cautious about injecting fresh funds in the market.

Turnover, which means the monetary value of all shares traded, stood at Tk 488 crore, down by nearly 16 percent from that the previous day.

On August 26, turnover in the DSE was slightly over Tk 420 crore but it reached Tk 1,065 crore on September 13.

Though turnover eroded, Dhaka stocks rose 29.33 point, or 0.54 percent, to stand at 5,386.88 yesterday on the back of an upward movement of insurance shares, 36 out of 47 of which soared.

The insurance sector led in the list of gainers. For instance, Global Insurance topped the chart soaring 9.85 percent followed by Republic Insurance (9.75 percent), Nitol Insurance (8.47 percent), National Life Insurance (7.12 percent), Paramount Insurance (6.06), United Insurance (6.04 percent) and Pioneer Insurance (5.98 percent).

IDLC Securities data shows life insurance companies soared 3.7 percent, the highest in the market, and non-life insurance increased 2.5 percent, the second highest, on an average.

Market insiders said stocks fell in the last three days at a stretch, so it was normal for it to bounce back yesterday.

Of the traded issues, 153 advanced, 140 declined and 41 closed unchanged on the premier bourse. Khulna Power dominated the turnover chart with 43.94 lakh shares worth Tk 52.21 crore traded, followed by Ifad Autos, Active Fine, Shasha Denims and National Life Insurance.

Shurwid Industries informed through the DSE website that an agreement was signed with NRB Bank.

As per this agreement, the company's guarantors, namely Zahedul Hoque, Anis Ahmed and Sayeda Sayma Akter, will hand over 26 lakh shares of the company to NRB Bank against liabilities of Tk 9.73 crore.

After transferring their shares, liabilities will be adjusted and they will be relieved from the personal guarantees while financial expenses of the company will be reduced.

Chittagong stocks also rose with the bourse's benchmark index, CSCX, advancing 57.23 points, or 0.57 percent, to finish at 10,046.19.

In the port city bourse, 100 stocks advanced, 100 declined and 31 finished unchanged. The bourse traded 76.84 crore shares and mutual fund units worth Tk 64.41 crore.