Investors lost Rs 162 billion in their book value last week with a notable fall in shares prices

KATHMANDU, March 5: Share investors lost over Rs 162 billion in their book value last week with a heavy decline in stock prices in the secondary market.

Amid Nepal Rastra Bank tightening noose on loans against shares citing deepening liquidity crunch, Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) lost 114.40 points to close at 2,547.04 points on Wednesday, the last trading day last week. During three-day transactions, there was a fall in share prices by 4.3 percent.  

In the transactions of scrips of 224 listed companies, only two companies including Reliance Life Insurance and Support Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha witnessed rise in their shares prices. Hydropower companies including National Hydropower and Samling Power Company lost more than 20 percent in their shares prices.

The secondary market went into a straight fall entirely in each of three days’ transactions. With a drop in shares’ prices, the market capitalization dropped to Rs 3.607 trillion from Rs 3.769 trillion.