Kathmandu, April 21

The Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index increased by 110.76 points or 8.66 per cent to 1,388.31 points during the trading week between April 15 and 19.

“The market has witnessed some gains in recent days as investors’ confidence has risen and also because the pressure related to payment of loans in the third quarter has subsided. The market will rise to a certain level and then there will be some correction and it will fall again,” said Prakash Rajaure, an independent stock market analyst. “It will go to a high of 1,400 points and then drop.”

Unlike in the previous weeks the Nepse index rose throughout the review period. The benchmark index had opened at 1,277.55 points on Sunday and increased by 2.60 points to end the day at 1280.15 points. Similarly, it surged by 17.42 points on Monday to land at 1297.57 points. The local bourse ended the week in an optimistic note rising by 33.61 points on Tuesday, climbing up by 31.83 points on Wednesday and up 25.30 points on Thursday to settle at 1,388.31 points for the week.

Similarly, the sensitive and float indices also went up in the review period. The sensitive index, which measures the performance of class ‘A’ stocks, rose by 21.58 points or 7.92 per cent to rest at 294.03 points. Likewise, the float index that measures the performance of shares actually traded also went up by 8.13 points or 8.82 per cent to land at 100.25 points.

Among the subgroups, besides trading that landed in the red, all the remaining nine sub-groups recorded gains. In this week the trading subgroup declined by 1.18 points or 0.56 per cent to rest at 208.18 points.

During the review week, the microfinance subgroup led the pack of gainers. It went up by 109.35 points or 14.16 per cent to end the week at 1687.19 points. Likewise, the insurance subgroup also rose by 801.02 points or 13.01 per cent to 6962.10 points.

Similarly, the hotels sub-index increased by 198.23 points or 10.65 per cent to settle at 2058.22 points. Likewise, hydropower subgroup also increased by 152.45 points or 10.08 per cent to close at 1664.32 points. The development banks subgroup went up by 118.96 points or 7.97 per cent to 1611.14 points and finance company sub-index also climbed up by 34.76 points or 5.35 per cent to 683.36 points.

Likewise, the others subgroup increased by 33.88 points or 4.74 per cent to end the week at 747.57 points and the banking subgroup saw an increment of 47.12 points or 4.15 per cent to 1181.16 points. Meanwhile, the manufacturing sub-index hiked up by 90.91 points or 4.01 per cent to 2355.19 points.

Altogether, 8.85 million shares of 181 companies worth Rs 4.08 billion were traded through 44,150 transactions during the week. The traded amount was 38.46 per cent higher than the total weekly turnover of the previous week, which was recorded at Rs 2.95 billion.

In the past week, 8.19 million shares of 183 companies had changed hands through 36,705 transactions.

In terms of weekly turnover, Surya Life Insurance Company was at the top with Rs 124.2 million. It was followed by Kumari Bank with Rs 110.08 million, United Insurance Company Nepal with Rs 100.18 million, Chilime Hydropower Company with Rs 98.92 million and Nepal Bank with Rs 92.21 million.

NEW LISTINGS

Company

Type

Units

NIC Asia Debenture 2081/82

Ordinary

3,000,000

Citizen Mutual Fund 1

Ordinary

82,000,000

NIC Asia Growth Fund

Ordinary

83,520,000

Source: Nepse