KATHMANDU: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index witnessed a sharp decline today, falling by 42.58 points to close at 2,726.51. This represents a 1.53 percent decrease.

According to NEPSE, shares of 333 companies were traded today. A total of 30,262,710 shares were bought and sold through 142,476 transactions, generating a total turnover of Rs 14.16 billion.

All sectoral sub-indices ended the session in negative territory. The banking sector fell by 1.49 percent, development banks by 1.00 percent, finance by 2.44 percent, hotels and tourism by 1.90 percent, hydropower by 1.41 percent, investment by 1.70 percent, life insurance by 1.85 percent, and manufacturing and processing by 1.40 percent.

Similarly, non-life insurance declined by 1.74 percent, trading by 0.51 percent, and the others group by 1.97 percent.

Among individual stocks, Saptakoshi Development Bank Limited recorded the highest gain, with its share price rising by 8.56 percent. In contrast, Om Megashree Pharmaceuticals Limited posted the biggest loss, with its share price dropping by 6.93 percent.

Based on trading value, Radhi Bidyut Company Limited led the market with transactions worth Rs 578.5 million. Meanwhile, in terms of the number of shares traded, Aankhu Khola Hydropower Company Limited topped the list, with 1,780,888 shares exchanged during the session.