Stocks returned to the red yesterday thanks to investors' selling spree for profit.

DGEN, the benchmark General Index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, finished the day at 4,502.52 points, after falling 76.19 points or 1.66 percent.

“The market began the day with a bull-run but failed to sustain its forward momentum as selling pressure prevailed after the initial 15 minutes of trade,” said Green Delta LR Holdings in its market commentary. “Most of the shares closed negative with a slightly lower turnover.”

“After single session pause, downtrend resumed on the day. However, supported by the liquid money market, turnover kept flat amid consistent participation,” IDLC Investments, a leading merchant banker, said.

Notably, investors were active in top ten value scripts that accounted for 48 percent of the total turnover, it said.

Turnover fell 3.05 percent to Tk 608 crore, compared to the previous day.

A total of 1.30 lakh trades were

executed with 13.0$) crore shares and mutual fund units changing hands on the Dhaka bourse.

Of the 274 issues that traded on the DSE floor, 30 advanced, 236 declined and eight remained unchanged.

Most of the major sectors lost in prices. Non-bank financial institutions fell by 3.1 percent, telecom 1.73 percent, banks 1.7 percent, power 0.94 percent and pharma 0.86 percent.

United Airways featured in the most traded stocks chart with 2.10 crore shares worth Tk 60.11 crore changing hands.

Jamuna Oil and Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company were the next popular stocks of the day.

Reliance One Mutual Fund was the biggest gainer of the day posting a 6 percent rise. The ICB AMCL Second Mutual Fund was the worst loser, slumping by 10 percent.

CSCX, the selective categories index of Chittagong Stock Exchange, finished the day at 8,757 points, after falling 156 points or 1.75 percent.

Losers beat gainers 16 to 172 with seven securities remaining unchanged on the port city bourse.