The persistent downtrend in the country’s capital market showed no sign of reversal on Monday as turnover at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) fell below Tk 300 crore, accompanied by further index declines.

The benchmark DSEX index dropped 39 points to close lower, while the Shariah-based DSES and blue-chip DS30 indices fell by 11 points and 18 points respectively.

Daily turnover at the DSE stood at Tk 356 crore, down from Tk 402 crore in the previous session.

Most traded issues ended lower, with 275 decliners against 70 gainers, while prices of 41 securities remained unchanged.

All three categories — A, B, and Z — faced losses. Among the 144 companies in the A-category, known for their strong fundamentals and consistent dividends, only 43 advanced while 101 declined.

In the block market, shares worth Tk 11 crore of 28 companies changed hands, led by Orion Infusion Ltd, which traded shares worth Tk 2.16 crore.

Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Ltd topped the gainers’ list with a rise of over 13 percent, while Fareast Finance & Investment Ltd lost more than 9 percent to become the day’s worst performer.

The bearish sentiment extended to the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) as well, where the overall index dropped 140 points.

Out of the traded issues, 127 declined, 37 advanced, and 9 remained unchanged. The day’s turnover at the CSE stood at Tk 14 crore, compared to Tk 22 crore in the previous session.

Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Ltd also led the gainers’ chart at the CSE with over 11 percent rise, while PHP First Mutual Fund fell 10 percent to end at the bottom.