Trading at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) resumed on 6 April following a nine-day Eid vacation, only to open with a sharp downturn, echoing global market jitters sparked by fresh US tariff declarations.
Within the first 20 minutes of trading, the benchmark DSEX index plunged by 45 points, with 267 scrips recording a decline in value.
DSES and DS30 indices also slipped, losing 9.5 and 13 points respectively.
Textile stocks led the downward spiral, bearing the brunt of investor anxiety stemming from a controversial move by US President Donald Trump.
During a White House event on 2 April, Trump unveiled a poster detailing a new raft of retaliatory tariffs—37% on Bangladeshi goods, 26% on Indian, 34% on Chinese, and 20% on products from the European Union—in response to existing levies imposed on American exports.
The announcement was made while the DSE remained closed for the Eid holiday, delaying the local market’s reaction.
Global markets, however, responded swiftly and severely.
By the close of trading on 4 April, the S&P 500 had shed a staggering $5 trillion in value in just two days—marking the steepest such fall on record.
Fears of a looming global recession triggered a sell-off across commodities and crude oil, while investors sought refuge in government bonds.
The ripple effect has now reached Bangladesh, with market participants bracing for further volatility as global economic tensions escalate.
