Kathmandu: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index took a downward turn today, closing at 2727.36, marking a decline of 12.10 points or 0.44%. This marks a continuation of the recent negative momentum in the market, following the sharp fall of 90.73 points (3.20%) recorded on the previous day, September 4, 2024. The overall trend suggests a volatile trading environment in the NEPSE as investor confidence continues to fluctuate.

• Key Highlights:
  The highest point today was recorded at 2758.92, while the lowest point hit 2686.62 during the trading session.
• Over the past week, NEPSE has seen significant declines, with a 52-week high of 3,000.81 and a low of 1,826.23.
• Today’s turnover was NPR 9.54 billion, with a total of 17,855,966 shares traded across 110,766 transactions.
  Sector Performance:
• The Sub-Indices of the Nepal Stock Exchange reflected a mixed performance.
• The Microfinance Index was the biggest gainer, rising by 86.41 points (1.68%) to close at 5212.40, while the Hydropower Index saw the steepest decline, losing 34.13 points (-1.01%) to settle at 3338.17.
• The Banking SubIndex dropped 10.69 points (-0.69%) to close at 1523.94.
• The Life Insurance Index also experienced a sharp decline, shedding 102.26 points (-0.74%) to close at 13,596.61.
• The Trading Index, however, managed to record a positive change, climbing by 6.37 points (0.16%) to reach 3759.43.
• Other sectors like the Hotels and Tourism Index, Manufacturing and Processing Index, and Development Bank Index saw marginal declines.

Top Gainers:
Despite the overall market decline, certain stocks showed positive movement. Annapurna Finance Limited (ANLB) was the top performer of the day, surging by 470 points (10%) to close at 5,170.00. Nesdo Sambridha Laghubitta (NESDO) and UNL Bhutan (UNLB) also registered notable gains of 191.90 points (8.43%) and 233.00 points (9.14%), respectively.

Among other gainers:

• Butwal Power Company (BNT) rose by 599 points (4.10%) to close at 15,199.00.
• Samaaj Finance (SAMAJ) gained 166.80 points (5.39%) to close at 3,260.00.

Market Outlook:
The ongoing volatility in the NEPSE has been attributed to several external factors, including macroeconomic conditions and investor sentiment. With fluctuations in major sectors such as Hydropower and Life Insurance, investors are advised to monitor market conditions closely and strategize accordingly.