Kathmandu [Nepal], July 20 – Nepal’s stock market extended its gains on the first trading day of the week, with the benchmark NEPSE Index rising 41.17 points to close at 2,719 as investor sentiment remained positive after the previous session’s strong advance.
The latest gain follows a 79-point jump in the previous trading session reinforcing the market’s recent upward momentum.
Trading activity also strengthened with daily turnover increasing to Rs 5.50 billion from Rs 4.57 billion in the previous session reflecting improved investor participation.
Of the companies traded during the session share prices of 238 firms advanced while 32 declined. The prices of six companies remained unchanged.
By trading value Ankhu Khola Hydropower, Reliance Spinning Mills, Ridi Power Company and Corporate Development Bank emerged as the day’s most actively traded stocks.
Everest Color posted the biggest gain of the session with its share price climbing 15%. Ridge Line Energy rose 13% while Shreenagar Agritech advanced 10% making them among the market’s top-performing stocks.
Sector-wise all indices ended higher except the mutual fund index. The manufacturing and processing sector recorded the strongest performance rising 3.21% followed by the “Others” group at 2.81% and the hydropower sector at 2.79%.
Banking gained 0.55%, development banks rose 1.48%, finance companies added 0.93%, while the hotels and tourism index climbed 1.98%. Investment, life insurance, microfinance, non-life insurance and trading sectors also closed higher.
The broad-based gains and higher turnover suggest continued buying interest as investors returned to the market at the start of the trading week.
