The opposition-called six-day hartal has affected trading at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) resulting in the decline of its market capital! sation and all share price index. according to market op erators.

The country-wide hartal begins today.

We sustained political movements and hartals in the past but thia time we feel very insecured ” a high off! rial of the DSE told The Daily Star here yesterday

"Most share prices de dined during the last week and trading In the last two days was notably dull."

The market capitalisation tell by Tk 57 crores to Tk 5600 34 crore at the closing

of the week Thursday from the previous week's Tk 5500.9 1

The all-share price index declined by 9.96 points or 1.13 per cent to 88.40 from the previous week's 890.41 points.

Tine coming weeks will also be somewhat dull due to the political situation and partia lly because of the election of the DSE counsellors, ached uled for on December 2 Acc ording to DSE sources, the caimpalgn for the election has already started.

During the week ahead, the DSE office will be kept open but trading will not take pla.ee before Tuesday. From Tuesday onwards, trading

may take place from 1 pm-one hour after the hartal time is over.

"But everything is uncertain. People fear that there might be widespread violence in the coming week and therefore they are likely to stay home. A good number of investors have left Dhaka and they will not come back before the next week ”, a DSE official said.

He claimed that due to hartals this year, production in the DSE enlisted industries were affected. "Last year, earnings per share of many companies were Tk 30. But I doubt it will be the same this year.”' he added.

A total of 11.72.782 shares and debentures worth Tk 23.22.96,089 75 were traded last week against 14,16.085.75 shares and debentures worth Tk 29,81,18, 689.75 in the previous week.

The daily average volume of trading last week was 2.34 lakh worth an average value of Tk 4.64 crores against the previous week's 2.36 lakh worth Tk 4.96 crore.

Some 494 Issues having

157 gainers and 229 losers were traded last week against 617 issues having 236 gainers and 295 losers in the previous week.

A new Issue. M Hossain Garments, entered the secondary market last week. With its' entry, the total DSE enlisted issues stood at 100.

Out of 22 frequently traded issues, prices of 12 issues marked declined. 7 increased and 3 remained unchanged. Of these, the price of Singer fell to Tk 5997 from previous week's Tk 6230. Monno Jutex to Tk 2250 from Tk 2675. Eastern Housing to Tk 135 From Tk 149, and most others fell by Tk 1 to 50. Among the gainers, the price of 1st ICBMF rose to Tk 1900 from 1800, Bangladesh Lamps to Tk 3162 from Tk 2939 and Monno Ceramic to Tk 1147 from Tk 1023.

The volume leaders of the week included Bexlmco Ph arma (sold 5.64,450 shares). Bexlmco Denims (75.828). BTC (over 52,000). Monno Ceramic (39,760). BOC (27583) and Bengal Carbide (over 25.000).