The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index edged up 0.03% or 0.85 points Tuesday, May 27, closing at 2,675.62. This modest rebound followed several days of decline, including 0.19% the previous day.
During the trading session, the benchmark index fluctuated between an intraday high of 2,684.77 and a low of 2,655.29, reflecting subdued market sentiment.
Out of the traded equities, 85 companies closed higher. However, five stocks stood out with significant gains. Corporate Development Bank Limited (CORBL), Om Megashree Pharmaceuticals Limited (OMPL), Green Development Bank Ltd. (GRDBL) and Bhugol Energy Development Company Limited (BEDC) hit the upper circuit limit, signaling strong buying interest.
Pure Energy Limited (PURE), which debuted on the exchange, surged 9.99%, with its share price rising by Rs 28.90 to close at Rs 318.20 per share.
On the losing end, Gurans Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (GLBSL) extended its decline for a second straight day, tumbling 8.01% or Rs 213.20 to finish at Rs 2,450—making it the biggest loser of the day.
Trading activity slowed compared to Monday. The total turnover dropped to Rs 6.52 billion, down from Rs 7.6 billion, with 14.29 million shares traded.
Market analysts attribute the muted movement to a prevailing “wait-and-watch” sentiment as investors await the fiscal year 2025/26 national budget, scheduled for Thursday, May 29.
Tuesday’s price action produced a green doji candlestick—a technical pattern often interpreted as a signal of market indecision, suggesting that the current cautious mood may persist.
Adding to the cautious optimism is the Nepal Rastra Bank’s recent monetary policy revision, which lowered the risk weight for share-backed loans—providing relief to investors and potentially supporting future market activity.
Among individual stocks, Universal Power Company Ltd. (UPCL) dominated the turnover chart with trades worth nearly Rs 635.82 million. Its share price rose by Rs 30.41 to close at Rs 458, marking a 7.11% gain from the previous session.
Sector-wise performance was mixed as seven of the 13 NEPSE sub-indices ended in negative territory.
The Development Bank Index recorded the biggest gain of 1.66%, while the Microfinance Index fell 1.13%, to the bottom of the chart for the second consecutive day.
The total market capitalization at the end of the day stood at approximately Rs 4.45 trillion, lower than the previous session, reflecting cautious investor behavior amid uncertainty.
