NEPSE Edges Lower by 5 Points; Apollo Hydropower Hits 15% Positive Circuit

The benchmark index of the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) recorded a single-digit decline on Thursday, trimming 5.06 points (or 0.18%) to settle at 2,700.47. This minor retraction follows a highly stagnant session on Wednesday, which had closed with a nominal gain of just 0.08 points. The market kicked off the day at 2,698.34 and exhibited routine volatility, hitting an intraday high of 2,709.79 and a low of 2,692.76 before finding its closing range. Total market turnover for the session rested at NPR 3.41 Arba, accumulated through 41,104 transactions as 7,743,030 shares changed hands among 347 traded companies. By the closing bell, Nepal's total market capitalization stood at NPR 46.14 Kharba, while the float market capitalization was recorded at NPR 15.51 Kharba. On the corporate front, Ankhu Khola Jalvidhyut Company Ltd (AKJCL) emerged as the liquidity leader, capturing the top spot on the turnover chart with transactions totaling NPR 31.98 Crores; its shares closed at NPR 381.00. In terms of gains, Appolo Hydropower Limited (APHL) put on an extraordinary performance, triggering a 15.00% positive circuit to close at NPR 796.60. Conversely, Global IME Balanced Fund-1 (GIBF1) faced the sharpest correction of the day, shedding 4.59% to finish at a last traded price of NPR 10.61. Sectoral performance remained largely mixed; the Trading Index clocked the highest growth with a 0.31% gain, while the Others Index felt the most pressure, leading the laggards with a 0.856% decline.