Nepse in record-setting spree

KATHMANDU, JANUARY 9

The record-setting spree in the country’s sole secondary market continued in the first trading week of 2021, with the Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index advancing by 5.14 per cent or 107.21 points week-on-week in the trading period between January 3 and 7.

Source: Nepse
Source: Nepse

The benchmark index that had opened at 2,087.28 points on Sunday had jumped 88.12 points to sail past the threshold of 2,100 points to close at 2,175.40 points by the time of closing — a new record.

Nepse witnessed slight correction over the next two days, falling by 6.36 points on Monday and shedding 3.54 points on Tuesday. The local bourse reversed course thereafter, gaining 13.07 points to set a new record of 2,178.57 points on Wednesday.

Adding another 15.92 points on Thursday, Nepse closed the trading week at a fresh peak of 2,194.49 points.

The sensitive index, which measures the performance of class ‘A’ stocks, jumped 5.65 per cent or 22.51 points to 421.22 points. The float index that gauges the performance of shares actually traded surged by 5.31 per cent or 7.53 points to 149.45 points.

A total of 58.78 million shares changed hands through 234,513 transactions that amounted to Rs 27.17 billion. The weekly turnover was 19.38 per cent higher than the preceding week when 207,324 transactions of 45.13 million shares had been undertaken that totalled Rs 22.76 billion.

In terms of sector-wise weightage in the weekly turnover, banking sector continued to lead with Rs 9.55 billion or more than 35 per cent. In the previous week, the sector’s weightage in the total traded amount in the week had stood at Rs 8.76 billion or more than 38 per cent.

In contrast to the last trading week of 2020, when five of the subgroups had landed in the red, all the subgroups recorded gains this time around.

Trading maintained its lead among the pack of gainers, with the sub-index ascending by 7.08 per cent or 162.82 points to 2,461.96. The gain during the review week, however, pales in comparison to the past week when the subgroup had soared by a staggering 16.21 per cent.

In terms of points gained, nonlife insurance topped the chart, with the sub-index surging by 636.33 points or 6.74 per cent to 10,076.38 points.

Meanwhile, Nepal Life Insurance Co (NLIC) had the highest weekly turnover of Rs 1.62 billion.

It was followed by Nepal Reinsurance Co Ltd (NRCL) with Rs 1.44 billion, Shikhar Insurance Co (SIC) with Rs 1.38 billion, Nepal Telecom with Rs 1.27 billion and NIC Asia Bank with Rs 972.71 million.

Prabhu Bank topped in terms of trading volume, with 2.34 million of its shares traded. Prime Commercial Bank (PCB) was second with 1.94 million shares, Citizen Bank International was third with 1.67 million shares, Kumari Bank was fourth with 1.63 million shares, and Sanima Bank was fifth with 1.58 million shares.

In terms of number of transactions, NRCL was the forerunner with 11,092 transactions. It was followed by SIC with 6,697 transactions, Reliance Life Insurance Ltd with 6,111 transactions, NLIC with 6,099 transactions and PCB with 6,066 transactions.

Source: Nepse
Source: Nepse