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:

NEPSE Rises by 4.90 Points on Tuesday 

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) rose by 4.90 points on Tuesday, after having fallen by 5.54 points on Monday, reaching 2,639.91 points, a 0.18% increase compared to the previous day. The Sensitive Index also rose by 0.54 points to 454.86 points, which is 0.12% lower than the previous trading day. On Tuesday, a total of 77,017 transactions were conducted across 349 companies, with 13,624,824 shares traded, resulting in a total turnover of NPR 699.48 crore, compared to NPR 647.26 crore on Monday. Out of the 13 groups traded, seven saw share price increases while six experienced declines. Commercial banks fell by 0.14%, development banks remained unchanged, finance decreased by 0.29%, and the Hotel & Tourism group fell by 0.48%. Meanwhile, hydropower rose by 1.02%, the investment group increased by 0.04%, mutual funds gained 0.42%, non-life insurance rose 0.07%, other sectors rose 0.78%, and trading increased by 0.98%. Life insurance declined by 0.17%, manufacturing & processing fell by 0.23%, and microfinance dropped 0.20%.

Locals Present mMemo to Makarigad Hydropower Company Ltd Demanding Shares

Local residents have protested against Makarigad Hydropower Company Limited, which has completed the construction of a 10 MW capacity project in Api Himal Rural Municipality-3, 4, and 5. The locals have put forth various demands including that shares be given to the citizens of the area affected by the project. Locals have formed The Makrigad Share Distribution Struggle Committee and also submitted a memorandum to the company, alleging that the local people are unable to directly benefit from the project. This move of the locals comes at a time when the hydropower company is preparing to issue shares. The memorandum signed by Devendra Singh Rokaya, coordinator of the Struggle Committee, contains the demand that shares should be made freely available to financially weak and poor local citizens, and that at least 80 percent of the shares should be ensured for the residents of the project-affected area.

Sweet Dish Demand Rises Before Maghi

The day the Sun’ enters Capricorn from Sagittarius is celebrated as the Maghi festival. During Maghi, people enjoy dishes made from sugar candy (Sakkhar), such as sesame seeds, molasses eaten with ghee, laddus, and sweet potatoes. The demand for sugar candy increases during the Maghi season. Due to this high demand, the sugar candy industry located in Chaugurji village, Ward No. 7 of Gulariya Municipality, is currently bustling with production. Up to five hundred quintals of sugar candy is produced daily. The general public come to the industry to purchase the sugar candy produced there. All the sugar candy is sold directly from the industry. Since demand is high during Maghi, the industry operates at full capacity every year during this period.

Yari Customs Office Closed for Three Months Following Excessive Cold

Yari Customs Office, Hilsa, has been closed for three months.The Office has been closed for months after the import of goods was stopped from Taklakot, China, in Hilsa due to extreme cold. Office staffs have reached Simkot-based contact office closing the office from second week of Poush after the import of good was stopped from Taklakot from the beginning of Poush month, said Office Chief Ram Raj Jaisi. “Though the snowfall has not occurred this year, transport service has also remained closed after the snowfall occurred in November 2025. So good from Taklakot have not been imported,” he added. However, the border towards China has been kept open, mentioned Chief Jaisi. The Office would be reopened after employees will return back to the Office in second week of Chaitra. The Office has collected Rs 1.865 million in revenue so far since the beginning of the current fiscal year.

Gold and Silver Prices Reach All-Time High

The price of gold has reached all-time high in the domestic market today. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers, the price of gold has increased by Rs 1,800 per tola to Rs 276,500 today. Earlier on Monday, the price of gold per tola was traded at Rs 274,700. Similarly, the price of silver has also set a new record. On Tuesday, silver reached Rs 5,340 per tola. Earlier, on Monday, silver was at Rs 5,195.

Yam Supply Surges for Maghe Sankranti

With Maghe Sankranti approaching on Thursday, the supply of root vegetables—especially yam, sweet potatoes and cocoyam—has surged across markets in the Kathmandu Valley, driven by festive demand.Vegetable markets and shops are well stocked with traditional roots that hold cultural and religious significance during the festival, traders said. Consumers have also crowded markets since Monday to buy yams of their choice, a staple food eaten during Maghe Sankranti. Traditionally, yams are boiled on the last day of Poush and eaten the following morning with ghee, chaku and sakkhar. People consume different varieties either boiled or prepared with condiments to mark the festival. Various yam varieties, including Hattipaile, Ban Tarul, Seto Ghar Tarul, Pani Tarul, Patale Tarul and Simal Tarul, are currently available in the market.

12 Percent Dividends From the General Meeting of Reliable Nepal Life Insurance

The ninth annual general meeting of Reliable Nepal Life Insurance Limited was held today.The meeting has passed a proposal to distribute a 12 percent cash dividend (including tax) to shareholders from the profit of the previous fiscal year.It also approved the annual report, auditor’s report, balance sheet, profit and loss account, and cash flow for the previous fiscal year, as well as a proposal to appoint an auditor for the current fiscal year and determine his or her remuneration.

Volkswagen Delivers 2.69 Million Cars in China in 2025

Volkswagen Group delivered 2.69 million vehicles in the Chinese market last year, accounting for about 30 percent of its total global deliveries during the period, the German automaker said.Also in 2025, the company sold 2.57 million fuel vehicles in China and rolled out a batch of new-generation electrified and intelligent connected vehicles, including the Audi Q6L e-tron and AUDI E5 Sportback. According to Volkswagen Group China, it successfully launched its export strategy in 2025, with a first batch of vehicles shipped to the Middle East market. The company will further expand its export business to markets including ASEAN, the Middle East, Central Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Migrant Returnee Garbuja Creates Jobs at Home

Seeking employment, Hari Garbuja of Beni Municipality-10, Patlekhet, in Myagdi, went to Afghanistan in 2011, despite knowing that Afghanistan was one of the most dangerous places to live.However, due to health problems, he returned to Nepal within eight months. After coming back, he initially turned to agriculture — and today he has established himself as a young entrepreneur.Now 37, Garbuja runs a furniture workshop, grows vegetables and has recently started a block-making industry in his village. After returning from Afghanistan, he initially began poultry farming and operated a greenhouse.He has been running the furniture business for six years and commercial vegetable farming for five years. Since last November, he has also brought a block industry into operation as a new venture.

Namkha Bans Illegal Extraction of Riverine Materials

Namkha Rural Municipality has imposed a ban on illegal extraction, transportation, storage and sale of stone, gravel and sand within its jurisdiction.The move follows a rise in unregulated and unlawful extraction and storing of construction materials. Planning Officer of the rural municipality Mohan Bahadur Shahi said that the rural municipality has issued a public notice ordering the immediate halt of illegal extraction from rivers, streams, gullies, hills and other natural resource areas under its authority, as such activities have intensified.According to the municipality riverine materials are illegally extracted for both private and public construction works from areas stretching from Hekpa Khola in Ward No. 1 to Hilsa in Ward No. 5.

Paddy Production Declines in Rautahat

Paddy production in Rautahat district has declined this year compared to last year due to floods triggered by incessant rainfall in September. The floods inundated paddy fields during the crucial harvesting period, significantly affecting overall output. Surendra Prasad Kurmi, Acting Chief of the Agricultural Knowledge Center, Rautahat, said the district recorded a decrease of 21,578 metric tons in paddy production this year. According to him, Rautahat produced 116,708 metric tons of paddy last year, while production this year stood at 95,130 metric tons. Kurmi said paddy was cultivated on 31,500 hectares of land this year, with an average yield of 3.02 metric tons per hectare. In contrast, last year paddy was cultivated on 35,808 hectares, with an average yield of 3.26 metric tons per hectare. As a result, per-hectare productivity declined by 0.24 metric tons compared to the previous year.

Suspicious Transaction Reporting Rises by 30 Percent

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) under Nepal Rastra Bank has made public its 14th annual report for the fiscal year 2081/82 (2024/25), highlighting significant progress in efforts to control money laundering and financial crimes in Nepal.According to the report, the number of Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) and Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) received from financial institutions increased by 30 percent during the review period. While 7,338 such reports were received in the previous fiscal year, the number rose to 9,565 this year. The increase indicates heightened vigilance within the financial sector and a strengthening of monitoring mechanisms. The FIU has fully digitized the reporting of all suspicious transactions. The report states that the number of reporting entities connected to the goAML system increased by 113.36 percent, reaching 3,497 institutions. Notable progress has been achieved in integrating cooperatives, precious metals traders, and remittance companies into the system.

Nepal’s Quality Goods Impress International Markets: Minister Sinha

Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Anil Kumar Sinha, remarked that Nepal’s products are increasingly trusted for their quality on the global stage. Speaking at the 30th and 31st Annual General Meetings of the Nepal German Chamber of Commerce, he highlighted the importance of sustaining business partnerships between Nepal and Germany while promoting a ‘People to People Connection’.During the event, Udo Eugen Volz, the German Ambassador to Nepal, expressed his eagerness to enhance business cooperation between the two nations. Chandra Prasad Dhakal, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), underscored the necessity for a conducive environment that allows the private sector to operate freely and healthily.

8.42 Percent Dividend from Prabhu Mahalaxmi Life Insurance’s General Meeting

The ninth annual general meeting of Prabhu Mahalaxmi Life Insurance Limited was held today. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Samjhana Aryal, Chairperson of the Board of Directors.The meeting approved 4 percent bonus shares and 4.421 percent cash dividend (including tax).The assembly also passed the annual report for the fiscal year 2081-82, including the auditor’s report.The general meeting has approved the financial statements including the balance sheet, profit and loss account, and cash flow statement for the last fiscal year, and has also appointed an auditor for the current fiscal year and determined their remuneration.

Machhapuchhre Bank’s Direct Partnership with ‘WeChat Pay’ Operator ‘TenPay’

Machhapuchhre Bank has signed a direct agreement with Tenpay Payment Technology Company Limited to make digital payment services easy, simple, and reliable for Chinese tourists visiting Nepal.Tenpay is a major digital payment service provider in China and operates WeChat Pay. Under this agreement, Machhapuchhre Bank will offer international payment services through WeChat Pay.As a result, Chinese tourists will be able to make payments in Nepal using Chinese currency, while Nepali merchants will receive the payments directly in Nepali rupees. The bank believes that enabling Chinese tourists to transact seamlessly will promote convenient and secure digital payments across the tourism, retail, and service sectors.

Suryajyoti Life Insurance’s 176th Branch Opens in Urlabari

Suryajyoti Life Insurance Company has expanded its 176th branch in Urlabari, Morang district, with the aim of making insurance services more accessible to the general public, keeping in mind the needs and convenience of its customers.The branch was formally inaugurated jointly by the company’s Chief Executive Officer Prakash Bikram Khatri and the Deputy Mayor of Urlabari Municipality, Mrs. Meena Khatiwada Poudel. The company is confident that with the opening of the new branch, citizens of Urlabari and surrounding areas will be able to access life insurance services in a simple, quick, and convenient manner.