KATHMANDU, Aug 29: Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) on Thursday plunged 36.83 points to close at 2,749.57 points.

The secondary market opened at 2,786.40 points and increased by around 14 points in the first one minute. In the next around two hours, the index went into a straight fall and reached the day’s low at 2,728.05 points. The market recovered around 21 points in the remaining period before it closed for the day.

The sensitive index, which measures the performance of ‘A’ class companies, also decreased by 8.35 points. The daily turnover further declined to Rs 12.24 billion from Rs 13.72 billion on Wednesday.

Among individual companies, 53 were recorded as gainers whereas 188 were the losers.

Out of the 13 groups, mutual funds by adding 0.02 points to its index stood as a single gainer.  Of the losers, life insurance shed 288.81 points. Non-life insurance, hotels and tourism, and microfinance had their indices decline by three-digit points.

Goodwill Finance Limited had the largest turnover of its shares worth Rs 376.55 million. Three Star Hydropower Limited was the topmost loser, while Kutheli Bukhari Small Hydropower Limited was recorded as the topmost gainer.