KATHMANDU: Nepal News presents today’s snapshot of Nepal’s economic activities. Get quick updates on major market movements, policy shifts, and financial developments shaping the economy of Nepal. Here are the key economic highlights for today:

NRB Requests Public Feedback for Upcoming Monetary Master Plan

The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) issued a public notice requesting stakeholders, financial analysts, and corporate institutions to submit policy feedback for the upcoming 2026/27 Monetary Policy master plan by June 19. Central bank executives confirmed that the monetary framework is being formulated to match the economic targets and programs established in the national budget. Economic research units opened dedicated digital channels to collect these structural recommendations, while bank regulators monitor market indicators to ensure the new policies support financial stability and credit distribution targets.

NEPSE Falls 20.27 Points, Turnover Drops to Rs 4.084 Billion

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) began the week in negative territory, falling 20.27 points (0.73 percent) to close at 2,735.14 on Monday. The sensitive index also declined 0.55 percent to 469.37 points. A total of 9.23 million shares of 356 companies were traded through 56,845 transactions, generating a turnover of Rs 4.084 billion, lower than the previous session. Market sentiment remained weak, with share prices of only 43 companies advancing, while 321 declined and six remained unchanged. Of the 13 sectoral indices, only the Finance group posted gains, rising 0.26 percent. The Trading, Others, and Development Bank sectors recorded the steepest losses, reflecting broad-based selling pressure across the market.

SEBON Employee Union Protests Cancellation of 33rd Anniversary Assembly

The Employee Union of the Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) issued an official statement criticizing management after executive leadership abruptly canceled the regulatory body’s 33rd anniversary celebration. Union representatives claimed the one-sided cancellation damages corporate culture, lowers staff morale, and disrupts a crucial review platform for market intermediaries and investors. The staff association stated that administrative operations are suffering due to ongoing managerial indecision, noting that the full-time chairman position has remained vacant for nearly two months. The union urged the government to expedite the executive appointment to restore regulatory oversight across capital markets.

Karali Maps 17K Local Projects via Institutional Development Bank

The Karnali Province government cataloged 17,000 development projects across 10 regional districts using its structured project bank framework to prepare its upcoming annual budget. Under current planning guidelines, the minimum spending threshold is set at Rs 5 million for road infrastructure and Rs 2 million for other public works. Planning commission data reveals that 12,746 small-scale entries valued below the funding floor are classified as ‘roster projects.’ Concurrently, 3,445 large-scale projects were approved inside the system, with Surkhet District holding the highest concentration of infrastructure projects, including 427 verified road development plans.

Disbursal of Rs 1.03 Billion in Healthcare Insurance Reimbursements

The newly formed government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Balendra Shah, accelerated the clearance of outstanding national healthcare insurance dues, resolving long-standing payment delays caused by previous resource constraints. Financial disbursement logs confirm that the state treasury funneled Rs 1.03 billion directly into the bank accounts of 155 public, 25 community, and 37 private medical facilities nationwide. To stabilize the social security system, the government allocated Rs 15 billion for the current fiscal cycle, recently clearing Rs 320.6 million in specialized treatment claims for impoverished patients undergoing kidney dialysis, cardiac surgeries, and neuro-spinal therapies.

Nepal and India Launch P2P Transaction Platform for Instant Remittances

The governments of Nepal and India launched an interconnected Peer-to-Peer (P2P) cross-border real-time digital transaction platform, allowing instantaneous electronic fund transfers between individual bank accounts across both nations. The cross-border payment network integrates India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with Nepal’s National Payment Interface (NPI), fulfilling a bilateral treaty signed back in the fiscal year 2023/24. Under current central bank guidelines, Indian banks capped individual outbound transfers at Rs 200,000 per transaction. Conversely, outbound transfers originating from Nepalese commercial banks are limited to INR 15,000 per transaction and INR 100,000 per month.

Chure Farmlands of Ilam Shift Toward Commercial Betel Nut Cultivation

Farmers across the lower Chure belt of Ilam, including Mai Municipality, Chulachuli, Mangsebung, and Rong Rural Municipalities, are increasingly replacing traditional subsistence crops with commercial betel nut plantations. Agricultural records indicate that organized orchards now cover 200 hectares of land, driven by low initial capital demands, steady cash crop returns, and minimal labor overhead compared to regular farming. Local producers currently manage plantations holding up to 8,000 trees, harvesting individual yields reaching up to 50 kilograms per tree. Wholesale merchants are sourcing raw betel nuts directly from the orchards, paying a stable farm-gate cash price of Rs 70 per kilogram.

Embassy Directs 66 Overstaying Citizens to Evacuate Cambodia Within 4 Days

The Embassy of Nepal in Thailand issued an urgent repatriation directive ordering 66 Nepali nationals currently overstaying their visas in Cambodia to return home by June 12. Diplomatic units previously collaborated with Cambodian immigration authorities to secure complete visa penalty waivers and fine exemptions for 602 stranded citizens. However, this remaining group of 66 individuals failed to coordinate their departure despite repeated notifications sent via email, phone calls, and digital messaging channels. Ground authorities warned that Cambodia enacted strict border codes, subjecting unregistered foreign residents to heavy financial penalties and lifelong imprisonment.

Authorities Seal Violations Across 3 Major Commercial Hubs

The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control launched an emergency mobile laboratory inspection sweep across commercial eateries and manufacturing plants in Kathmandu, Hetauda, and Bara, exposing severe public safety non-compliance. Food safety auditors discovered toxic chemical coloring agents and high volumes of Total Polar Materials (TPM) caused by repetitive cooking oil usage, recording an illegal TPM level of 45 at the Hetauda Bhetghat restaurant. The safety enforcement teams destroyed bulk stocks of expired noodles, unsafe roasts, and low-grade bakery shortening from Chunky Restaurant while issuing a three-day administrative warning to Usha Dairy over poor pest control and sanitation practices.

Tender Reissues of Rs 14 Billion for Sunkoshi-Marin Project

The project office of the Sunkoshi-Marin Multi-Purpose Diversion Project reissued an international competitive bidding tender for the construction of its primary dam, power station, and hydro-mechanical framework at Seleghat. The infrastructure re-tendering was triggered after the state terminated a previous Rs 14.075 billion joint venture construction contract with Patel Engineering and Raman Construction for completing less than 10 percent of physical targets over three years. The Supreme Court cleared the legal path for the new procurement cycle by ruling in favor of the project on February 10, following which the non-compliant contractor was blacklisted.

IPPAN Retains Internal Independent Structure, Rejects Upgrade Plan

The Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN) announced plans to host its 24th Annual General Meeting and 8th National Convention this upcoming Friday. The executive committee clarified that the clean energy association, which currently represents over 700 private power generation companies, dropped an earlier proposal to restructure the entity into a broader commercial federation. Additionally, the leadership board will submit a crucial corporate governance amendment during the assembly to scrap the automatic promotion of the senior vice president to the presidency, establishing an open competitive voting system for all executive board seats.

FNCCI Flags Implementation Gap Fears, Demands Extended Tax Window

The President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) expressed concerns over potential implementation gaps regarding the government’s newly announced fiscal budget targets. While acknowledging that the budget addresses several private sector demands, business leaders warned that policy inconsistency and weak inter-agency coordination could jeopardize the ambitious 7 percent economic growth target. The trade federation demanded that the government extend the current deadline for settling outstanding tax disputes under the 1 percent fee waiver concession until mid-April 2027, while criticizing policies that require private sector representatives on state boards to file personal asset disclosures.

Aviyan Microfinance Withholds Shareholder Dividends

The board of directors of Aviyan Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha resolved to withhold all forms of dividend distributions from its shareholders during an executive financial review meeting held on Friday. Corporate accounting registries confirm that the microfinance institution chose to retain its entire net earnings from the preceding fiscal year rather than distributing stock bonuses or cash payouts. The financial organization will redirect the retained capital reserves directly into its internal liquidity buffers to handle changing market conditions, leaving public equity investors without an annual return for this past reporting cycle.

Gold Traded at Rs 299,900, Silver at Rs 4,905

The price of gold in the market saw a significant drop today, falling by Rs 8,100 per tola (11.66 grams). According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, gold is currently trading at Rs 299,900 per tola, a sharp decline from Sunday’s rate of Rs 308,000 per tola. In contrast, the price of silver experienced a slight increase, rising by Rs 10 per tola to reach Rs 4,905, up from Sunday’s price of Rs 4,895 per tola.

IMF Allocates $42 Million Under Extended Credit Facility

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a financial disbursement of USD 42.9 million for Nepal under its active Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program. IMF officials stated the fund release was earned through notable advancements in structural reforms, monetary modernization, and financial transparency despite slower domestic economic growth. The fund expects Nepal’s economic growth to hover around 3 percent for the 2025/26 fiscal cycle due to political disruptions, weak private investments, and regional tensions in the Middle East. This latest release brings total IMF assistance under the 38-month program to USD 384.1 million.