Market extends losses as NEPSE drops nearly 18 points

The stock market declined for a second straight session on Tuesday, with the NEPSE index falling by about 18 points to close at roughly 2,807. The downturn was broad-based, as nearly all sectoral indices finished in the red, except for Hotels and Tourism.

The Hotels and Tourism subgroup gained 1.16%, offering the only positive movement among the 13 sector indices. In contrast, the “Others” group recorded the sharpest decline, falling by 1.27%, which weighed heavily on the overall index.

Despite the weak market trend, the total turnover rose but only slightly to around NRs 5.77 billion, compared to NRs 5.43 billion last session. A total of 347 listed securities changed hands, with over 13 million shares traded.

Market sentiment remained weak, with 215 companies posting losses, while only 48 advanced and six remained unchanged. Several stocks saw strong upward momentum, with SuryaKund Hydro Power, Palpa Cement, and Shikhar Power hitting positive circuit limits, each rising close to 15%.

On the losing side, Dolti Power led the declines, dropping 8.71% to about NRs 388 per share. Solu Hydro Power also slipped 5.77% to around NRs 800. However, it remained the most actively traded stock of the day, with transactions worth about NRs 370 million. It was followed by Reliance Spinning Mills, which recorded turnover of approximately NRs 302 million.

Out of 13 sector groups, 12 ended lower, reflecting widespread selling pressure. Only Hotels and Tourism closed in positive territory.

Government forms committee to recommend SEBON chair

In a separate development, the government has formed a three-member committee to recommend a new chairperson for the Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON).

The committee is headed by National Planning Commission Vice Chair Dr. Gunakar Bhatt and includes Finance Secretary Ghanshyam Upadhyay and Bhuwan Kumar Dahal as members. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The panel will shortlist and recommend candidates for the leadership of SEBON, the country’s capital market regulator responsible for overseeing Nepal’s stock market operations and investor regulation.