KATHMANDU, May 8: Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) on Wednesday declined marginally by 0.21 points to close at 1,960.60 points.

The secondary market opened at 1,960.81 points and plunged to 1,954.83 points in the first 40 minutes of trading. In the next 16 minutes, the index rose to the day’s high at 1,968.04 points. The market then fell straight to the day’s low at 1,954.44 points. In the last one and a half hours, the market recovered around six points before it closed for the day. 

The sensitive index that measures the performance of ‘A’ class companies also declined 0.17 points. The daily turnover increased to Rs 2.54 billion from Rs 2.14 billion on Tuesday. 

Four groups including microfinance, finance, trading and hydropower were the gainers. Microfinance led the group by adding 116.15 points in its index. Of the nine losers, manufacturing and processing plunged the highest of 69.12 points.

Among individual companies, 124 were recorded as gainers whereas 107 were the losers.

First Microfinance Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited had the largest turnover of its shares worth Rs 106.02 million. Kumari Sabal Yojana was the topmost loser while Infinity Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited gained the highest of 9.99 percent of its market price.