KATHMANDU: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index experienced a double-digit decline on Thursday, the fourth trading day of the week, even as overall transaction volumes registered an increase.

The benchmark index shed 12.36 points (0.44%) to close at 2,742.11 points, reversing the gains from Wednesday when the market had bounced back by 30.08 points. This downturn follows previous drops earlier in the week, where the index fell by 6.51 points on Tuesday and 1.03 points on Monday.

Along with the main index, the Sensitive Index slipped by 1.57 points (0.33%) to settle at 469.48 points, while the Float Index and Sensitive Float Index fell by 0.46% and 0.35% respectively.

Market activity saw a total of 8,955,545 shares exchange hands across 44,744 transactions involving 348 companies, generating a total turnover of Rs 3,898,418,385.

This marks a steady rise in market liquidity compared to earlier sessions, up from Wednesday’s turnover of Rs 3.82 billion, Tuesday’s Rs 3.08 billion, and Monday’s Rs 2.45 billion. However, market sentiment remained largely bearish, with the share prices of only 72 companies advancing, while 188 companies closed lower and nine remained unchanged.

Sectoral performance was overwhelmingly negative as 11 out of the 13 sub-indices ended in the red; the Mutual Fund sector was the sole gainer with a minor 0.14% increase, while the Trading sector remained completely flat.

Among the declining sectors, Hotel and Tourism dropped the most by 0.86%, followed by Hydropower (0.68%), Commercial Banks (0.57%), Microfinance (0.50%), Non-Life Insurance (0.42%), and Manufacturing and Processing (0.36%).

Other sectors including Development Banks, Finance, Investment, Life Insurance, and the ‘Others’ category saw marginal declines ranging from 0.10% to 0.33%.

In terms of individual stocks, investors in Prabhu Bank’s debentures emerged as top gainers, securing a return of 6.62%. Conversely, Upper Lohore Khola Hydropower Company Limited was the biggest loser of the day, with its share price plummeting by 14.95%.

Ankhu Khola Hydropower Company Limited led the market in terms of financial turnover, recording transactions worth Rs 177.25 million, while Kumari Bank Limited led in volume with 516,129 shares traded, closing at a final price of Rs 116 per share.