United News of Bangladesh

The DSE Brokers Association of Bangladesh (DBA) has welcomed the initiative of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) to amend the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (Margin) Rules, 2025. In a message on Saturday, the DBA said the pragmatic and market-friendly initiative marks a positive step for the country's capital market. It said the amended Margin Rules, 2025 would help establish a balanced, modern and forward-looking regulatory framework that would play a significant role in ensuring the orderly, transparent and sustainable development of Bangladesh's capital market. The association expressed hope that the draft of the amended margin rules would soon be published to seek public opinion, adding that it would submit detailed feedback and recommendations to the commission after reviewing the draft, if deemed necessary. DBA President Saiful Islam said the association fully supports the reform initiatives undertaken by the BSEC to make Bangladesh's capital market stronger, more modern and investment-friendly. He said the DBA would remain ready to work closely with the BSEC on all necessary reform initiatives for the development of the country's capital market in the future as well.

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) on Thursday clarified that the proposed amendments to the margin rules remain in draft form and have not been finalised, describing what it called incomplete and misleading media reports on the matter. In a press release, it said the 1,020th commission meeting approved a draft proposal to amend the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (Margin) Rules, 2025. However, before the draft could be published for public feedback, several media outlets carried incomplete, confusing and unrealistic information about the changes, creating unwarranted uncertainty among investors, it said. The commission said the core objective of the amendment is to remove practical and operational complications that have emerged during implementation of the existing rules, and to make the regulations simpler, more effective and more realistic, thereby easing their application for stakeholders across the market. The BSEC noted that in drafting the amendment proposal, it took into account the opinions and practical experiences of margin facility users, stock brokers, merchant banks, and other market intermediaries and stakeholders. The commission's goal, it said, is to establish an effective, realistic and investor-friendly margin management framework. The regulator further clarified that the amended draft rules have yet to be finalised. The draft approved by the commission will soon be published in national dailies and on BSEC's website for public opinion. Only after reviewing feedback from stakeholders and the general public, the amendment to the Margin Rules, 2025 will be finalised, it said. The BSEC urged all concerned to refrain from publishing speculative or partial information about the amended rules before the public opinion process begins, saying such reports create unnecessary confusion. The commission expressed confidence that once the actual draft is published, all stakeholders will get a clear picture of the purpose, scope and rationale behind the amendment. The BSEC said it has always worked to give top priority to the interests and safety of investors, and that the amendment to the margin rules is a continuation of that same policy.

Both Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) closed lower on Thursday, the last trading day of the week, snapping a four-session winning streak, with overall turnover also declining on both bourses. The DSEX, the benchmark index of the DSE, shed 25 points during the day's trading. The Shariah-based index DSES fell 2 points, while the blue-chip index DS30 dropped 15 points. Losers dominated the trading floor, with 240 companies witnessing price declines against gains in 103, while 52 issues remained unchanged. Turnover on the DSE fell to Tk 1,118 crore from the previous day's Tk 1,515 crore. Techno Drugs Limited topped the gainers' list on the DSE, rising nearly 10 percent, while Usmania Glass Sheet Factory Limited was the worst performer, losing more than 9 percent. The CSE also closed in negative territory, with its general index CASPI falling 55 points. Here too, losers outnumbered gainers, with 116 companies posting price declines against 86 advancing, while 22 remained unchanged. Turnover on the CSE stood at Tk 18 crore, down from Tk 32 crore the previous day. Techno Drugs Limited also led the gainers on the CSE, rising nearly 10 percent, while Hamid Fabrics PLC was the top loser, shedding close to 10 percent.

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) on Wednesday held a stakeholder consultation meeting aimed at making the country's Initial Public Offering (IPO) process more transparent, accountable, efficient and internationally standard-compliant. The meeting was held at the BSEC head office in Agargaon, chaired by BSEC Chairman Masud Khan, according to a press release issued by the commission. BSEC Commissioners Tanwir Habib Rahman, Nahid Mahtab, and Nafeez Al Tarik, along with senior officials of the commission, attended the meeting. BSEC clears maiden IQIO, greenlights intraday trading in reform push The meeting held elaborate discussions on financial statement requirements for IPO applications under the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (Public Offer of Equity Securities) Rules, 2025, along with the roles and responsibilities of auditors, issue managers and issuers, and ways to make the IPO process more effective and investor-friendly. Discussions also covered IPO pricing, listing of public interest entities, direct listing and rights issues, among other matters. Representatives of various organisations participating in the discussion presented their assessments and recommendations on the existing challenges, practical experiences and potential reform areas in the IPO process. The commission assured that it would consider the stakeholders' opinions with due importance and take necessary policy support and legal reform measures accordingly. Representatives from the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB), the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), the DSE Brokers Association of Bangladesh (DBA), the Bangladesh Association of Publicly Listed Companies (BAPLC), the Bangladesh Merchant Bankers Association (BMBA), various merchant banks, issue managers and other stakeholders also joined the discussion. BSEC's executive director, directors and other senior officials were also present at the meeting.

Dhaka Stock Exchange's benchmark index, DSEX, climbed to its highest point of 2026 on Monday, gaining a combined 62 points over two consecutive sessions of trading. The index rose 17 points on Monday, the second trading day of the week, following a 45-point gain on Sunday, pushing DSEX to 5,866 points, the year's peak so far. DSE's other indices also advanced. The Shariah-based index DSES gained 4 points, while the blue-chip index DS30 rose 2 points. Turnover, however, declined compared to Sunday, falling by more than Tk 200 crore. Shares and units worth Tk 1,419 crore changed hands on Monday, down from Tk 1,669 crore in the previous session. Gainers outnumbered losers on the DSE, with 181 companies posting price increases against 165 that declined, while 48 remained unchanged. Desh Garments Limited led the gainers, rising nearly 10 percent, while Fareast Finance & Investment Limited was the day's worst performer, losing close to 9 percent. The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also saw a strong rally, with its all-share index CASPI advancing 118 points. Advancers outpaced decliners there as well, with 122 companies gaining, 91 declining, and 31 unchanged. Turnover at CSE rose by Tk 20 crore, with shares and units worth Tk 30 crore traded on Monday compared to Tk 10 crore the previous day. Power Grid Company of Bangladesh topped the CSE gainers' list, while Fareast Finance & Investment Limited was the biggest loser, shedding nearly 8 percent.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) on Tuesday approved United Commercial Bank PLC's (UCB) proposal to raise Tk 775.18 crore through a rights share issue, alongside clearing the draft prospectus of a new open-end mutual fund. The decisions were taken at the commission's 1019th meeting, held at its Agargaon office and chaired by BSEC Chairman Masud Khan. Under the approved plan, UCB will issue 77,51,87,549 ordinary shares at a face value of Tk 10 each on a 1:2 rights basis, meaning one rights share for every two existing shares held. The bank will use the proceeds to support its regular business operations, the commission said. In a separate decision, the commission approved the draft prospectus and abridged version of “Blue-Wealth First Stable Return Fund,” a new open-end mutual fund with an initial target size of Tk 30 crore. Of this, sponsor Blue-Wealth Assets Limited will contribute Tk 3 crore, while the remaining Tk 27 crore will be open to general investors, with each unit priced at Tk 10. Blue-Wealth Assets Limited will act as the fund's asset manager, while Sandhani Life Insurance Company Ltd. (SLIC) and Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC will serve as trustee and custodian, respectively.

Share prices edged higher on both the Dhaka and Chattogram bourses on Monday, the second trading day of the week, even as overall turnover fell and the majority of listed companies saw their share prices gain. The DSEX, the benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), rose 12 points during the day's trading. DSE awards FIX certification to 3 more brokerages The Shariah-based index DSES gained four points, while the blue-chip index DS30 edged up by one point. Of the 392 companies traded, 166 saw price gains, 155 saw declines and 71 remained unchanged. Turnover on the DSE stood at Tk 1,416 crore for the day, down from Tk 1,530 crore on Sunday, a fall of more than Tk 100 crore in a single day. Dragon Sweater and Spinning Limited led the gainers, rising nearly 10 percent, while Bangladesh Industrial Finance Company Limited was the worst performer, losing around 9 percent. The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also saw its benchmark index CASPI climb 73 points on the day. Of the companies traded on the CSE, 135 posted gains, 93 declined and 26 remained unchanged. Turnover on the CSE stood at Tk 16 crore, sharply down from Tk 66 crore on Sunday, a decline of nearly Tk 50 crore in a single day. Beximco Pharmaceuticals PLC and Islamic Finance & Investment PLC topped the CSE gainers' list, each rising 10 percent, while Rahima Food Corporation Ltd was the top loser, shedding nearly 10 percent.

The country's stock markets witnessed a broad-based rally on the first trading day of the week, with share prices of most listed companies rising and overall turnover increasing on both bourses. At the end of the day's trading on Sunday, the Dhaka Stock Exchange's (DSE) benchmark index DSEX rose 43 points. The Shariah-based index DSES gained 9 points, while the blue-chip index DS30 advanced 29 points. Of the issues traded, 177 companies saw their share prices rise, 153 declined, and 59 remained unchanged. Turnover on the DSE stood at Tk 1,530 crore in shares and units. In the block market, shares worth Tk 48 crore of 53 companies changed hands. Unique Hotel and Resorts PLC topped the gainers' list, posting nearly a 10 percent rise, while Familytex (BD) Limited was the worst performer, losing around 8 percent. The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also closed higher, with its overall index CASPI adding 8 points. Of the traded companies, 141 advanced, 96 declined, and 19 remained unchanged. Total turnover on the CSE stood at Tk 66 crore, up from Tk 60 crore in the previous session. Phoenix Finance 1st Mutual Fund, Eastern Cables Limited, and IFIL Islamic Mutual Fund-1 led the gainers, each rising about 10 percent, while Meghna Life Insurance PLC was the top loser, shedding nearly 10 percent.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) on Wednesday issued FIX (Financial Information Exchange) certification to three more brokerage houses, bringing them closer to launching their own Order Management Systems (OMS) through API connectivity with the exchange's Nasdaq matching engine. The certificates were handed over at a ceremony by DSE Chief Financial Officer Md Abid Hossain Khan to representatives of GMF Securities Limited, Prime Islami Securities Limited, and Unicap Securities Limited. Head of IT at GMF Securities Lubna Mahmud, CEO of Prime Islami Securities Md Rajib Hasan and Unicap Securities CEO Waliul Islam received the certificates on behalf of their organisations. DSE Deputy General Manager Jisan Bin Mubarak and Assistant General Manager Kamrun Nahar, along with other senior officials, were present at the event. With the latest batch, DSE has now certified a total of 61 brokerage houses under the FIX protocol. Of these, 53 have already gone live with their own OMS platforms, conducting trading operations via API integration with the exchange. DSE had initiated the API-based Broker House Order Management System (BHOMS) programme in 2020. Following that, 85 brokerage houses applied to DSE seeking API connectivity with the Nasdaq matching engine to operate their proprietary order management systems.    

Share prices soared Monday in Asia after a tentative deal was announced on ending the Iran war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Benchmarks in Tokyo and Seoul initially gained more than 5% early Monday. Oil prices fell more than $4 a barrel. The future for the S&P 500 was up 1% and that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.9%, auguring likely early gains for Wall Street. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the initial agreement and authorized an end to the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports. Iran confirmed it but signaled that implementation would not start until a signing that Pakistan said would be held Friday in Switzerland. Broader negotiations on issues like Iran’s nuclear program are expected to continue over the next 60 days. In early trading Monday, the price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, fell $3.61 to $83.64 per barrel. U.S. benchmark crude lost $4.27 to $80.61 per barrel. But it may take months for oil prices to stabilize after the disruptions from the war caused them to surge, pushing costs up gasoline and many other products. Energy experts said shipping and insurance companies will want to be confident the pact will hold, ensuring that oil and gas supplies will flow freely enough for the world’s needs to be met. “Markets are likely to be cautious in not over-extending optimism as they watch for an actual resumption of traffic across Hormuz,” Mizuho Bank analysts said in a commentary. Still, the news was a huge relief for markets that have been roiled since the conflict began in late February. The deal on ending the war offers relief to the global economy more than three months since fighting began. Stocks rallied in Asia, where Tokyo's Nikkei 225 gained 5.4% to 69,603.91 as the benchmark logged another record high. Buying was heaviest for technology shares, especially those related to artificial intelligence. The boom in AI has been driving gains in Japan, where the benchmark has gained more than 80% in the last year. “This is great news," said Takashi Hiroki, chief strategist at Monex. “Buying by foreign investors is leading the market with expectations of easing tensions around the situation in the Middle East. Then the decline in New York crude oil futures is supporting this positive market.” The Kospi in Seoul surged 4.9% to 8,517.93. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng gained 0.6% to 24,867.94, while the Shanghai Composite index was up 1.1% to 4,073.08. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 advanced 1.4% to 8,922.90. Taiwan's Taiex was up 2.5%. On Friday, U.S. stocks as Musk's SpaceX soared in its highly anticipated debut on Wall Street. The strong debut suggested plenty of demand still exists among investors for AI after its stock leaped 19.2% in its first day of trading. That gave Elon Musk’s rocket company a total value of $2.1 trillion, making it bigger than Exxon Mobil, Bank of America and Coca-Cola combined. In addition to building rockets, SpaceX also owns the artificial intelligence company xAI. The S&P 500 added 0.5% to close out its 10th winning week in the last 11. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 353 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.3%. In other dealings early Monday, the dollar rose to 160.20 Japanese yen from 160.12 yen late Friday. The euro climbed to $1.1595 from $1.1578.