Dhaka, March 1 -- The benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) lost more than 138.56 points on Sunday as investors dumped their holdings, fearing a further fall amid the intensified Middle East crisis.

US-Israel jointly launched a strike on Iran on Saturday that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and plunged the region into a new conflict.

The strike put nearly all oil-producing Gulf Arab countries on edge as fears of escalation grew, with Iran responding by launching missile strikes towards Israel.

The broad index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX, fell 138.56 points to close at 5,461, down from 5,600 in the prior session.

The bullish trajectory of the capital market lost steam amid mounting geopolitical te...