KATHMANDU, MAY 27
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) set a record of highest daily turnover of over Rs 14 billion, on Thursday.
The sole secondary market of the country witnessed a trade of 41.813 million shares of 215 companies through 147,492 transactions that amounted to a whopping Rs 14.768 billion.
Despite the record-breaking turnover, the benchmark index on Thursday fell 0.04 per cent before halting at 2,815.40, registering a 1.20 point fall.
The sensitive index, which measures the performance of Class 'A' stocks, dipped by 0.06 per cent or 0.28 point to 503.71 points. The float index that gauges performances of shares actually traded also fell by 0.13 per cent or 0.24 points to 193.43 points.
Micro finance index were the top losers, with the sub-index plunging by 191.69 points or 3.41 per cent to 5,435.06 points.
On the last trading day of the week, the market saw microfinance companies in red following Nepal Rastra Bank's regulation that tightened the rules for the banks and financial institutions to invest in the secondary market.
NRB on Tuesday had restricted BFIs from investing in the shares of "D" class financial institutions including microfinance except for the purpose of calculating "Deprived Sector Loans".
The NRB regulation also restricted the BFIs from short term buying and selling shares in the stock market. They will have to hold the listed shares and debentures for a year before selling them.
These regulations restricting the BFIs were expected to influence the stock market which was reflected in today's share price of the microfinance companies.
Although the microfinance companies' share prices fell, hydropower companies saw their share price rise with Khani Khola Hydropower Company Ltd, United Modi Hydropower Ltd, Nepal Hydro Developers Ltd, Arun Kabeli Power Ltd, and Ridhi Hydropower Development Company Ltd leading the pack of gainers.
