NEPSE Ends Week on a High Note with Last-Minute Rally and Increased Turnover

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) concluded the trading week on a positive note, staging a remarkable last-minute recovery on Friday. After trading in negative territory for the majority of the session, a late surge in buying pressure pushed the benchmark index into the green, providing a hopeful end to the week for investors.

The NEPSE index gained a modest 1.63 points to close at 2,702.11. The positive sentiment was reflected across other key indices as well. The Sensitive Index, which tracks the performance of Class 'A' companies, edged up by 0.31 points. Similarly, the Float Index and the Sensitive Float Index saw marginal gains of 0.11 and 0.09 points, respectively, indicating a broad-based, albeit slight, market uplift.

A more significant development was the substantial increase in market turnover. Total transaction volume surged to NPR 4.53 billion, a notable rise from the previous day's NPR 3.41 billion. This increase in liquidity, involving the trade of 10,922,000 shares through 61,170 transactions across 353 different stocks, suggests a revival of investor confidence and participation.

Among individual stocks, Apollo Hydropower was the day's standout performer, hitting the positive circuit breaker. The company's share price soared by NPR 119.40 to close at NPR 916. Another notable gainer was Sopan Pharmaceuticals, a recent listing on the SME platform, which saw its share price jump by an impressive 14%. Support Microfinance Financial Institution also posted strong gains, with its share price increasing by 9%.

In terms of turnover, fixed-income securities dominated the charts. The Global IME Bank Limited Debenture 2086/87 led the pack with transactions worth over NPR 331.1 million. Following closely was the Global IME Bank Debenture 2084/85, which recorded a turnover exceeding NPR 325 million. Sopan Pharmaceuticals also featured among the top turnover stocks, with more than NPR 200 million worth of its shares changing hands, driven by its significant price rally.

Sectoral performance was mixed, with 7 of the 13 sub-indices closing in the green while 6 registered declines. The Finance, Hydropower, Investment, Life Insurance, Manufacturing & Processing, Microfinance, and Trading sub-groups all posted marginal gains. The remaining sectors experienced slight pullbacks, reflecting a balanced but cautiously optimistic market sentiment.

In a significant development for market governance, the Nepal Stock Exchange, which had been operating without a leader for a month and a half, has a new Chairman. Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle appointed Amrit Lamsal, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, to the key position. This appointment is expected to bring stability and clear direction to NEPSE's leadership, a move that will be closely watched by the entire investment community.