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Ten top-traded companies accounted for more than 31 per cent of transactions on the country's major bourse on Thursday with Grameephone (GP) topping the list.
Market insiders said fundamentally-sound issues like GP and Square Pharmaceuticals continued to attract investors who are anticipating positive quarterly earnings and dividend declarations in the days ahead.
According to statistics available with the DSE, about 549,776 shares of GP were traded, generating a turnover of Tk 279 million, which was 6.76 per cent of the Dhaka bourse's total transactions.
GP, the country's largest market-cap listed company, saw its share price traded between Tk 503 and Tk 512 before closing at Tk 510.70, rising 0.95 per cent over the previous day.
The share price of the mobile operator kept advancing for last eight trading sessions and it was the highest closing price since listing with the country's capital market in 2009.
The multinational company's share price soared 7.83 per cent or Tk 37.10 each in the eight consecutive sessions. Its share was traded between Tk 300 and Tk 512 in the last one year.
"A meeting of the board of directors of GP will be held on January 29 to consider, among others, audited financial statements of the company for the year ended on December 31, 2017, which attracted the investors," said a stockbroker.
He noted that the news of rolling out its 4G service in near future for the mobile internet users, especially in city areas, also attracted many investors to GP's shares.
Square Pharma came next as investors remained busy buying its shares as construction work began recently on the manufacturing plant of the Square Pharmaceuticals Kenya EPZ, a subsidiary of Square Pharma in Nairobi.
About 653,023 shares of Square Pharma were traded, generating a turnover of Tk 214 million, which was 5.18 per cent of the total transactions of the DSE.
Square Pharma, the second largest market-cap company, saw its share price close at Tk 329.50, shedding 0.15 per cent from that of the previous session.
Apart from GP and Square Pharma, the most other active shares in terms of value included National Bank, BD Finance, Appollo Ispat Complex, Brac Bank, Beximco Pharmaceuticals, IFAD Autos, Monno Ceramic Industries and National Tubes.
The National Bank was third on the turnover list with shares worth Tk 165 million changing hands. The bank's share price closed at Tk 13.20, advancing 3.12 per cent over the previous day.
BD Finance clinched the fourth spot, with shares worth Tk 109 million changing hands. The non-bank financial institution's share price advanced 4.48 per cent to close at Tk 23.30.
Appollo Ispat Complex emerged fifth with shares worth Tk 95 million changing hands. The company's share price closed at Tk 15, losing 6.83 per cent over the previous day.
Brac Bank saw its shares worth Tk 90 million change hands. The bank's share price advanced 1.17 per cent to close at Tk 104.10.
The turnover of Beximco Pharma was Tk 85 million. Each share of the pharma company closed at Tk 109.20, losing 1.08 per cent.
IFAD Autos featured a turnover of Tk 80 million. The company's share price fell 0.67 per cent to close at Tk 134.
The turnover of Monno Ceramic was Tk 77 million. The company's share price advanced 1.04 per cent to close at Tk 106.60.
The National Tubes also found its way to the top ten turnover chart, with shares worth Tk 76 million changing hands. The state-run company's share price fell 2.40 per cent to close at 138.10.