Pokhara, 8 May | Nepal’s stock market closed on a positive note on Friday as the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index climbed by 27.49 points, ending the trading day at 2745 points. The gain of 1.01 percent marked the highest point reached during both the day and the trading week. The market maintained a steady upward trend from the opening session until closing, reflecting renewed investor confidence and improving market sentiment after several weeks of fluctuation.
The market had already shown signs of recovery on Thursday when the NEPSE index rose by 6.94 points. Overall, this week’s performance indicates that the market has gradually stabilized. Last week, the benchmark index had closed at 2738 points, and the continued rise this week has encouraged investors who were previously cautious due to economic uncertainty and lower trading activity. Market observers say improving liquidity in the banking system, growing interest in hydropower shares, and active participation in tourism and finance sectors contributed to the market’s positive momentum.
Trading turnover also recorded noticeable improvement. While Thursday’s total turnover stood at Rs. 2.93 billion, Friday’s trading volume increased to Rs. 3.28 billion. According to NEPSE data, share prices of 235 companies increased during the day, while only 26 companies recorded declines. The prices of eight companies remained unchanged. Except for the trading sector, all other sub-indices closed in positive territory. The banking sector rose by 0.67 percent, development banks by 0.95 percent, finance by 1.87 percent, hotels and tourism by 1.48 percent, and hydropower by 1.71 percent. Other sectors, including investment, life insurance, manufacturing, microfinance, and miscellaneous groups, also posted gains.
Among individual companies, Trishuli Jalvidhyut recorded the highest increase of the day, with its share price rising by 10 percent. Hotel Forest Inn gained 7.90 percent, Suryakunda Hydroelectric increased by 6.12 percent, and Pure Energy rose by 5.34 percent. The companies with the highest trading volumes included Hotel Forest Inn, Reliance Spinning Mills, Solu Hydropower, Ngadi Group, and Ridi Power. On the losing side, Swabalamban Laghubitta declined by 6.54 percent, while Forward Microfinance dropped by 2.47 percent.
The recent rise in the stock market has created cautious optimism among investors. However, analysts believe the future direction of the market will depend on broader economic policies, interest rate trends, and investor confidence in the coming weeks.
