NEPSE posts modest gain after four-day losing streak

The stock market posted a modest recovery on Wednesday, ending a four-session losing streak as the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index rose 2.57 points, or 0.09%, to close at 2,736.17.

However, investor participation weakened significantly, with daily turnover falling to NRs 4.29 billion from NRs 6.44 billion recorded in the previous session, a decline of 33.4%.

A total of 9.28 million shares of 356 listed securities were traded during the day. Share prices of 127 companies advanced, while 134 declined and 10 remained unchanged.

Hydropower stocks dominated the gainers' list. Kalinchok Hydropower jumped 14.99% to NRs 1,152 per share, while newly listed Sopan Pharmaceuticals and Apollo Hydropower each gained 14.98%, closing at NRs 402.10 and NRs 344.60, respectively.

Among the losers, Prabhu Bank Debenture fell the most, dropping 8.71% to NRs 1,132. Upakar Laghubitta also declined sharply by 8.34% to NRs 2,979 per share.

Aankhu Khola Hydropower emerged as the most actively traded stock, with transactions worth NRs 280 million closing at NRs 405 per share. Saptakoshi Development Bank followed with turnover of NRs 202.7 million at NRs 1,020 per share.

Sectoral performance remained mixed. Seven of the 13 sector indices closed higher, while six ended in negative territory. The hydropower index led gains, rising 0.65%, followed by hotel and tourism (0.54%), development banks (0.21%), manufacturing and processing (0.18%), finance (0.08%), and banking (0.07%).

On the downside, the investment index slipped 0.08%, life insurance fell 0.32%, non-life insurance lost 0.24%, trading dropped 0.43%, while the microfinance index declined 0.44%.

Despite the slight rebound in the benchmark index, the sharp drop in turnover indicates investors remain cautious, with market activity yet to regain momentum.