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 Absorbs Rs 100 Billion via Deposit Collection Instrument

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) absorbed Rs 100 billion from the market today to manage excess liquidity through an 83-day deposit collection instrument. Eligible ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’ class banks and financial institutions submitted bids through the online bidding software system by 3:00 PM today, with interest rates determined via the auction process. The principal and interest repayments are scheduled for October 13 this year. Minimum bids started at Rs 100 million, and while the collected funds cannot be counted toward the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), they qualify for the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR).

NEPSE Drops 13.95 Points with Rs 5.19 Billion Turnover

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) fell 13.95 points, or 0.51 percent, on Wednesday to close at 2,712.54, while daily turnover declined to Rs 5.19 billion from Rs 6.67 billion the previous day. A total of 11.36 million shares of 346 companies were traded through 56,094 transactions. Share prices of 77 companies advanced, 193 declined, and seven remained unchanged. Only the Finance and Manufacturing and Processing sub-indices gained, while the remaining 11 sectors ended lower. Ridi Power Company recorded the highest turnover at Rs 423 million, while Everest Color was the day’s top gainer.

PM Balen Affirms Support for Handicraft Sector Growth

Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) reaffirmed government commitment to handicraft sector policy development, preservation, and job creation during a discussion at his office on Wednesday, expressing openness to establishing a Handicrafts Development Board under a public-private partnership model. Meeting with representatives from the Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal, the prime minister addressed key demands, including coordinating with the Ministry of Home Affairs to observe National Handicraft Day officially, reinstating a 5 percent export incentive held up for three years, and making invoice valuation mandatory instead of self-declaration to boost revenue. Prime Minister Shah also supported establishing a handicrafts village in the valley and skill-training centers across all seven provinces.

Ministers Hold Bilateral Meeting to Link Agriculture and Industry

Minister for Agriculture, Forest and Environment Gita Chaudhary and Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Gauri Kumari Yadav held a bilateral meeting to enhance inter-ministerial coordination and link agricultural output directly with industrial markets. Discussions focused on enforcing minimum support prices for food crops, increasing market monitoring to curb black marketing, and restricting agricultural imports like bananas, tomatoes, and potatoes to boost domestic production. The ministers also agreed to coordinate through the Nepal-India Inter-Governmental Committee on Trade and Transit to apply mutual recognition agreements between the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to Nepali tea, alongside utilizing storage warehouses in Jhapa and promoting tea auctions internationally.

Ministry of Finance Issues 47-Point Budget Implementation Guidelines

The Ministry of Finance issued a 47-point guideline to all government ministries, commissions, and secretariats on Monday to ensure the effective implementation of the budget for the current fiscal year. The directive instructs agencies to execute programs within designated timelines to enhance capital expenditure efficiency, promote austerity in resource utilization, and regularly monitor development projects. Authorities must promptly update approved programs in the Line Ministry Budget Information System (LMBIS), prepare procurement plans early, and ensure that development project payments are strictly tied to performance outcomes.

Sudurpashchim Spends Only 62.26 Percent of FY 2025/26 Budget

The Sudurpashchim Provincial Government spent Rs 20.815 billion, representing 62.26 percent of its Rs 33.432 billion budget in the fiscal year 2025/26, according to the Provincial Comptroller Office. Current expenditure reached Rs 9.248 billion (68.04 percent), while capital expenditure totaled Rs 11.566 billion (58.33 percent). The Ministry of Social Development recorded the highest utilization at 71.53 percent, whereas the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law posted the lowest at 30.76 percent. Additionally, local governments received Rs 2.749 billion, fulfilling 75.55 percent of their allocated grants.

Labor Department Orders Worker Complaints to be Addressed Within 1 Hour

The Department of Labor and Occupational Safety has issued a directive requiring all labor and employment offices to respond to worker complaints within one hour of receipt. Announced via circular on Tuesday, the measure addresses public delays in processing grievances received through channels like Hello Sarkar. Offices are instructed to promptly handle disputes, enforce labor laws, refer out-of-jurisdiction cases immediately, and update the status of all resolved complaints under the Good Governance (Management and Operation) Act, 2008, and the Civil Service Act, 1993.

Inland Revenue Office Bharatpur Collects Rs 26 Billion

The Inland Revenue Office, Bharatpur, collected Rs 26.83 billion in revenue during the fiscal year 2025/26, an increase of Rs 1.74 billion compared to the previous year’s total of Rs 25.09 billion. Despite the growth, collections missed the target of Rs 31.05 billion set by the Inland Revenue Department, largely due to the closure of a local liquor factory that previously contributed Rs 1 billion in taxes, alongside reduced excise duties and lower consumption of plastic-bottled goods and soft drinks.

Bhairahawa Customs Office Collects Rs 105 Billion in Revenue

The Bhairahawa Customs Office collected Rs 105.02 billion in revenue during the fiscal year 2025/26, achieving 92.46 percent of its target of Rs 113.66 billion. Revenue grew by 10.33 percent compared to the previous fiscal year’s collection of Rs 95.193 billion, driven by a 15.28 percent expansion in total imports valued at Rs 304.05 million. Motorcycle imports generated the highest revenue at Rs 21.764 billion from 178,000 units, while exports surged 66.96 percent to Rs 34.983 billion, led by refined soybean oil.

Mechi Customs Office Collects Over Rs 17 Billion in Revenue

The Mechi Customs Office in Kakarbhitta collected Rs 17.677 billion in revenue during the fiscal year 2025/26, marking an 11 percent increase compared to the previous year’s collection of Rs 15.931 billion. Despite a revenue increase of Rs 1.746 billion, the office fell short of its ambitious target of Rs 18.877 billion, achieving about 93 percent of its goal. As a vital eastern trade transit point, the office oversees the export of regional agricultural products like tea and cardamom alongside the import of petroleum and industrial raw materials.

Trinagar Customs Office Collects Rs 8 Billion in Revenue

The Trinagar Customs Office in Kailali collected Rs 8.398 billion in revenue during the fiscal year 2025/26, achieving 86.48 percent of its target of Rs 9.711 billion. Although collections improved during February and March 2026 due to increased fuel imports, implementation of strict maximum retail price (MRP) labeling requirements in April 2026 caused imports to drop significantly. Despite a temporary grace period through July 16, strict enforcement starting today has reduced daily truck crossings to just seven or eight vehicles.

Dandakhet-Rahughat Transmission Line Project Reaches 74%

The 132 kV Dandakhet-Rahughat Transmission Line Project has achieved 74 percent physical and 72.6 percent financial progress, with the Nepal Electricity Authority aiming for completion within the current fiscal year 2026/27. Funded by the Asian Development Bank and the government, the Rs 4.72 billion project spans 25 kilometers to connect regional hydropower to the national grid. Despite delays from terrain and landslides, construction by Larsen & Toubro has completed 74 out of 82 transmission towers and strung 12.1 kilometers of lines, alongside substantial progress on local substations.

KMC Completes 35% Of Administrative Building

Kathmandu Metropolitan City has achieved 35 percent physical and 30 percent financial progress on its new 8-story administrative building in Teku within 94 days of construction. Initiated on April 5 this year, basement construction is complete, with preparations underway for the cover slab casting. Acting Mayor Sunita Dangol conducted an onsite inspection of the project today, urging the construction team to maintain safety protocols and complete the building ahead of the contractual deadline of November 7, 2027. The project currently deploys 70 workers and 10 technical personnel across its 3,052.40 square meter site.

Land Revenue Offices Release New Minimum Land Valuation for FY 2026/27

Land revenue offices have published new minimum land valuations for the fiscal year 2026/27, reflecting increased government rates across Kathmandu. Prime main-road properties in areas such as Maitighar, Singha Durbar West Gate, Putalisadak, Dillibazar, and Durbar Marg are now valued at around Rs 7.6 million per ana (31.80 square meters), up from Rs 7.2 million in the previous year. Meanwhile, areas under Chabahil and Kalanki land revenue offices have also seen upward revisions, with ring-road-connected plots in Gaushala reaching Rs 6.2 million per ana and Balkhu-Banasthali plots increasing to Rs 4.9 million per ana, while inaccessible plots with no road access drop as low as Rs 100,000 per ana.

Nuwakot Invites Bids for Betrawati-Dhunche Road Maintenance

The Road Division Office, Nuwakot, has invited electronic bids through national competitive bidding for the reactive maintenance of the Betrawati-Dhunche section along the Betrawati-Dhunche-Syaprubesi road corridor. According to the published notice, the estimated cost for the maintenance work is Rs 9.3 million. Interested and eligible national bidders can download the bidding documents and submit applications online through the official website of the Public Procurement Monitoring Office.

Govt. Builds Permanent Homes for 1,201 Families in Siraha and Saptari

The government housing initiatives including The Janata Housing Program, The Mahendra Narayan Nidhi Vulnerable Housing Program, and The Madan Bhandari Vulnerable Housing Program have provided permanent brick homes to 1,201 disadvantaged families across Siraha and Saptari districts, moving them out of unsafe thatched-roof huts and significantly improving their children’s education and overall living standards. Between 2024/25 and 2025/26, Siraha benefited 612 families, while Saptari accommodated 589 families. However, local infrastructure offices note that ongoing construction projects continue to face significant financial hurdles due to surging market prices for construction materials that outpace allocated budgets, alongside land management issues.

Tourists Die Due to Altitude Sickness in Annapurna Region Last FY

According to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), 25 tourists died from high-altitude sickness along the Annapurna trekking route during the fiscal year 2025/26. The casualties included twelve Nepali citizens among them four guides and porters nine Indian nationals, and one each from Japan, Mexico, Spain, and Singapore. Geographically, fifteen fatalities occurred in Mustang, eight in Manang, and one each at the Annapurna Base Camp and Mardi Himal. Additionally, five other tourists lost their lives due to falls and weather-related accidents during the same period.

Department Fines 2 Firms During Market Inspections

The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection fined two commercial firms during field inspections for violating consumer protection regulations. Kisu Camenagriha was penalized with Rs 20,000 under Section 38(gh) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2018, for failing to maintain purchase invoices as mandated by Section 15, while Calmera Aruer in Jadibuti, Kathmandu, was fined Rs 5,000. Out of 12 inspected firms, 10 received corrective directives. The department regularly monitors markets to maintain hygiene, prevent sales of unwholesome goods, and enforce billing compliance.

Egg Prices Rise to Rs 500 Per Crate

The price of eggs has started to rise due to increased demand and a drop in production following the impact of bird flu, according to the Nepal Layers Poultry Association. Starting Wednesday, the price of large eggs increased from Rs 450 to Rs 500 per crate containing 30 pieces, while medium eggs went up from Rs 420 to Rs 470, and small eggs reached Rs 415, marking a Rs 50 increase across all sizes. Central President Binod Pokharel stated that daily egg production dropped from approximately 4.5 million to 2.8 million units due to bird flu. Despite the price hike, farmers still struggle below the production cost of Rs 573.60 per crate and are seeking government relief for heavy losses.

Gold Traded at Rs 291,000; Silver at Rs 4,480 Today

Prices of gold and silver saw a significant increase in the domestic market today. Compared to Tuesday’s rates, gold jumped by Rs 5,400 per tola (11.66 grams), while silver rose by Rs 110 per tola. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, gold was fixed at Rs 291,000 per tola, while silver was set at Rs 4,480 per tola. On Tuesday, gold traded at Rs 285,600 per tola, and silver was priced at Rs 4,370 per tola. International media report that gold is currently trading at USD 4,139 per ounce, while silver stands at USD 59 per ounce in global markets.