The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index experienced a third consecutive decline on Tuesday, March 18, falling by 7.66 points, or 0.28%, to close at 2,697.04. This followed a 0.37% drop on Monday and a 0.79% decline on Sunday.
The previous Wednesday saw a brief respite when the index surged 0.63%, ending a seven-day losing streak that had erased 171.06 points. This downturn came after a nine-day rally, which had boosted the market by 211.78 points.
Trading activity also slowed on the third trading day of the week, with daily turnover dropping to just over Rs 4.34 billion, down from more than Rs 5.40 billion in the previous session. A total of 8 million shares were traded across 50,834 transactions, indicating a notable decrease in investor participation.
All three major indices ended in the red. The Sensitive Index declined by 0.23%, the Float Index dropped 0.27%, and the Sensitive Float Index fell 0.26%.
Among individual stocks, Mithila LaghuBitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (MLBBL) emerged as the top gainer, rising by 9.96%. In contrast, Samudayik Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (SLBSL) recorded the largest loss, falling by 8.21%.
Himalayan Reinsurance Limited (HRL) posted the highest turnover, followed by Ghalemdi Hydro Limited (GHL) and Nepal Reinsurance Company Limited (NRIC).
Of the 13 sectoral indices, only the Others Index saw a modest increase, rising by 0.11%. The Life Insurance Index experienced the steepest decline, dropping by 0.70%.
