Dhaka, Sept. 27 -- The benchmark equity index extended its losing streak for a third consecutive week, as investors mostly stayed on the sidelines amid a lack of clear catalysts while upcoming earnings season kept the market sentiment cautious.

Analysts noted that market sentiment remained subdued, with institutional and high-net-worth investors showing reluctance to inject fresh funds into equities amid mixed earnings expectations for June-closing companies.

General investors largely preferred holding cash over making new investments, while some opted to reshuffle their portfolios ahead of earnings declarations, they said.

This week, the market saw the first two sessions close lower while three others pared some losses as investors tu...