Dhaka, March 8 -- Bangladesh's two stock exchanges opened the week with a steep fall on Sunday, as indices plunged in both markets and share prices declined for the majority of listed companies.

The benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), DSEX, dropped by 231 points during the day's trading. The Shariah-based DSES index fell by 35 points while the blue-chip DS30 index declined by 90 points.

Most listed companies ended in the red: prices fell for 371 firms, while only 10 gained and nine remained unchanged.

Although turnover slightly increased, selling pressure dominated the market. A total of shares and units worth Tk 531 crore were traded on the DSE, up from Tk 459 crore in the previous session.

In the block market, shares ...