NEPSE falls 61.41 points last week as hydropower, insurance stocks plunge

Kathmandu, August 29, 2026 — The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index fell 61.41 points, or 2.35 percent, last week as shares of hydropower and insurance companies came under heavy selling pressure following the devastating Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods.

The secondary market opened the week at 2,618.72 points and closed at 2,557.31 points. During the week, the index reached a high of 2,620.13 points and dropped to a low of 2,517.79 points, resulting in a volatility range of 102.34 points.

The market declined in all four trading sessions during the week. Trading was conducted for four days after the government declared Friday a public holiday for Janai Purnima and Rakshabandhan. The steepest single-day decline came on Wednesday, when the NEPSE dropped 35.92 points, or 1.38 percent.

At the sectoral level, only the Manufacturing and Processing index recorded a gain, rising 57.45 points, or 0.55 percent.

The remaining 12 sectoral indices declined. The Non-Life Insurance index suffered the largest point-based loss, plunging 685.36 points, or 6.58 percent.

Among individual companies, Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Company recorded the largest decline, with its share price falling 24.47 percent. Sarvottam Paints Industries Limited was the week’s top gainer, with its share price increasing 74.87 percent.

Average daily turnover declined to Rs 3.977 billion from Rs 4.493 billion in the previous week, a decrease of 11.48 percent.

Market capitalisation also fell from Rs 4.504 trillion to Rs 4.398 trillion. The Rs 105.60 billion decline reduced the book value of investors’ holdings by the same amount. In the previous week, investors had suffered a Rs 43.2 billion decline in their book value.