KATHMANDU, Feb 22: Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) on Thursday nosedived 20.76 points to close at 2,005.83 points. 

The market opened at 2,026.59 points and rose to the day’s high at 2,030.25 points in the first one hour of trading. The market transaction then went to a downward trend and hit as low as 2,001.06 points in the last eight minutes. The index recovered around four points in the remaining trading period before the market closed for the day.

The sensitive index that measures the performance of ‘A’ class companies declined by 3.49 points. The daily turnover increased to Rs 3.206 billion from Rs 2.24 billion on Wednesday.

Only two groups including manufacturing and processing, and finance gained 67.54 points and 6.09 points, respectively. Of the losers, non-life insurance shed 153.82 points and life insurance lost 109.36 points.   

Among individual companies, 49 were recorded as gainers whereas 197 were losers.

Himalayan Reinsurance Limited with a total transaction of its shares worth Rs 148.79 million continued to lead the segment. Himalayan Urja Bikas Company Limited lost the highest of 7.60 percent of its market value, while Samaj Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was registered as the top gainer.