NEPSE Closes Slightly Higher as Trading Turnover Declines

On the second trading day of the week, the NEPSE index closed slightly higher at 2,936.56 points. Although the market remained negative for most of the day, the index turned positive towards the end. The Sensitive Index decreased by 0.28 points, while the Float Index increased by 0.27 points and the Sensitive Float Index by 0.03 points.Despite the rise in the index, trading volume fell. On Sunday, shares worth NPR 2.359 billion were traded, whereas on Monday, 342 stocks were traded 156,381 times, amounting to NPR 1.578 billion for 38,073,000 shares.Four stocks—Salpa Bikash Bank, Reliance Spinning Mills, Solu Hydropower, and Bhujung Hydropower—traded at the positive circuit level. Shares of Mankamana Engineering Hydropower and Hotel Forest Inn rose by about 10%, while First Microfinance Laghubitta shares increased by around 9%. The average decline among falling stocks remained below 4%.Based on trading volume, Kumari Bank led the market with shares worth NPR 672.3 million traded. Shivam Cements and National Hydropower Company recorded trades of over NPR 605 million and NPR 570 million, respectively.Out of 13 sub-sectors, 7 recorded gains while 6 saw a decline. The Production and Processing sub-sector gained the most, up 1.53%, while the Hydropower and Mutual Fund sub-sectors rose by nearly 1%. Banking, Development Banks, Hotel and Tourism, Life Insurance, Non-Life Insurance, and Trade sub-sectors experienced slight declines.