The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has urged the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) to launch an investigation into the “unusual and suspicious” surges observed in the shares of Emerald Oil Industries.
In a letter sent last month, the market regulator highlighted a significant price increase from Tk 30.8 to Tk 52.30 (a rise of 69.81%) between April 2 to April 26, 2023. The BSEC has requested that the DSE provide a comprehensive report on the matter within 15 working days. However, data from the DSE indicates a further jump in price, with shares reaching Tk 65.90 on May 3, up nearly 90% from Tk 34.7 on April 11.
Mohammad Rezaul Karim, spokesperson for the BSEC, informed the media that the commission will take appropriate action if any irregularities are identified in the DSE’s report. Emerald Oil Industries, the producer of Spondon-branded oil, faced a period of non-operation from 2017 until January 2022 due to fraudulent activities by its previous owners. Although production has resumed, the company has struggled to achieve full capacity due to a shortage of gas. Currently, it is engaged in small-scale production of de-oiled rice bran (DORB) used for animal feed and Spondon brand oil.
Minori Bangladesh, a subsidiary of Japanese farming company Minori Co Limited, took over Emerald Oil Industries in 2021 and injected Tk 31 crore in fresh funds to resume operations. However, the company has not yet disclosed its financial reports for the past three years, starting from the fiscal year 2019-20 until the present nine-month period. Consequently, investors are in the dark about the financial situation of Emerald Oil Industries. Despite these uncertainties, the share price continues to rise steadily.
Notably, Emerald Oil Industries recently received approval from the stock market regulator to issue 3.15 crore fresh shares against investments made by its new owner as a share money deposit. The investigation by the DSE will shed light on the unusual price movements and provide further insights into the matter, aiming to ensure transparency and investor confidence in the market.
