The key index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) fell yesterday, the second consecutive day of decline, as investors slowed trading activity.

The DSEX lost 27.43 points, or 0.40 per cent, to close at 6,851.32, the lowest in four days. Turnover, an important indicator of the market, dropped 13.35 per cent to Tk 2,227 crore, which was Tk 2,570 crore on Wednesday.

The blue-chip index, or DS30, was down 0.25 per cent, the Shariah-based DSES index declined 0.40 per cent, and the large-cap CDSET index gave up 0.24 per cent to end at 2,453 points, 1,487 points, and 1,337 points, respectively.

All the large-cap sectors posted negative performance.

Telecommunication posted the biggest loss of 1.30 per cent, followed by banks 0.86 per cent, engineering 0.66 per cent, fuel and power 0.45 per cent, and pharmaceuticals 0.27 per cent, according to an analysis of Brac EPL Stock Brokerage.

The non-bank financial sector rose 4.82 per cent, and the food and allied sector was up 0.03 per cent.

South Bangla Agriculture & Commerce Bank was the most traded share with a turnover of Tk 73 crore, followed by LankaBangla Finance, Beximco Pharmaceuticals, Beximco Ltd, IPDC Finance, and LafargeHolcim.

Investment Corporation of Bangladesh gained the most at 9.98 per cent. CVO Petrochemical Refinery advanced 9.21 per cent, Aziz Pipes 8.94 per cent, Al-Haj Textile Mills 8.75 per cent, and Regent Textile Mills 8.44 per cent.

First Finance was the worst loser, shedding 7.37 per cent. Kattali Textile lost 6.92 per cent, EBL NRB Mutual Fund 5.41 per cent, Renwick Jajneswar 5.11 per cent, and Exim Bank 1st Mutual Fund 4.55 per cent.

Of the securities traded on the DSE yesterday, 105 advanced, 251 declined, and 20 closed unchanged.  

In the port city, the CASPI, the general index of the Chattogram Stock Exchange, lost 126 points, or 0.63 per cent, to end the day at 19,930. Shares worth Tk 85 crore changed hands.

The losers outnumbered the gainers by 222 to 80. Twenty-three issues were unchanged.