The approval came at a meeting of the capital market regulator, sources said. The companies, which got the SEC nod, are Trust Bank Ltd, International Leasing and Financial Services Ltd, Paramount Insurance Ltd and Phoenix Finance and Investment Ltd.

The bank will raise a total of Tk70 crore including a premium of Tk29.34 crore by floating 2,934,000 primary shares of Tk150 each and a premium of Tk50 each.

The existing paid-up capital of the bank is Tk70 crore while the net asset value (NAV) per share is Tk164.8 and earning per share (EPS) is Tk52.50.

Through floating 500,000 ordinary shares, International Leasing and Financial Services will raise a total of Tk11.25 crore including a premium of Tk 6.25 crore. The face value of the company's each share will be Tk225 including a premium of Tk125.

The company's existing paid-up capital is Tk18 crore while the NAV is Tk255 per share and EPS is Tk56.4.

Paramount Insurance will float 900,000 shares of Tk100 each to raise a total of Tk9 crore from general investors.

The existing paid-up capital of the insurance company is Tk6 crore while the NAV is Tk129.05 per share and EPS is Tk16.5.

Phoenix Finance and Investment will raise a total of Tk12.50 crore through floating 1,250,000 primary shares of Tk100 each.

The company's existing paid-up capital is Tk21.11 crore while the NAV per share is Tk188 and EPS Tk37.26.

DSE MARKET CAPITALISATION HITS $6 BILLION MARK
Meanwhile, market capitalisation on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) has crossed US$ 6 billion mark, the highest ever in the history of the country's stock market.

The total market capitalisation on the DSE yesterday reached Tk417 billion, or $6.04 billion. (One dollar = Tk69 approximately)

Besides, turnover on the DSE crossed Tk100 crore mark for a second consecutive day amid a rally of shares led by power and banking sectors.

The total turnover on the country's premier bourse rose to Tk129.71 crore yesterday from Tk117.36 crore on Monday.

Market analysts said the recently concluded first-ever international investors' conference in Dhaka, where foreign institutional investors showed keen interest in the country's growing stock market, helped the market go up.

Besides, the news of government move to list some 10 state-run enterprises on stock exchange as well as floatation of shares by big multinational companies like Grameenphone Ltd led to the buying spree on the bourse during the last couple of days, they said.

The DSE authorities at a press conference on Saturday expected that the listing of the state-run enterprises and other big companies including some in the gas, power and telecoms sectors on the bourse will reach the market capitalisation to US$15 billion in the next two to three years.

Along with the turnover and market capitalisation, the price indices also went up. The DSE General Index rose by 13.95 points or 0.76 percent to close at 1842.91 points while the DSE All Share Price Index increased by 12.91 points or 0.83 percent to finish at 1554.50 points yesterday.

Of the issues traded on the DSE, 110 gained, 77 declined and 20 remained unchanged. A total of 6,919,390 shares worth Tk129.71 core changed hands.

At the end of the day, Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) topped the turnover leaders' list followed by Prime Bank Ltd, Brac Bank Ltd, Southeast Bank Ltd, Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Dhaka Electric Supply Company, Summit Power, United Commercial Bank Ltd, Eastern Cables and Shahajalal Bank Ltd. The PGCB topped the list with 250,050 shares worth Tk13.97 crore.