After six consecutive days of losses, Nepal’s stock market bounced back into positive territory on Monday, May 19. The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index climbed 0.74%, or 19.30 points, to close at 2,628.36, marking a welcome reversal in investor sentiment.

This recovery follows modest losses of 0.10% on Sunday and 0.32% last Thursday, which had extended the index’s downward streak.

Despite the rebound, overall trading activity declined. Daily turnover fell to approximately Rs 7.36 billion—down from over Rs 8.50 billion in the previous session. Likewise, both share volume and number of transactions dipped, with over 16.2 million shares traded across 71,287 transactions.

Market breadth was overwhelmingly positive, with 185 of the 247 traded companies posting gains. Sixty declined, while two remained unchanged.

All major sub-indices also ended in the green. The Sensitive Index rose 0.94%, the Float Index gained 0.86%, and the Sensitive Float Index advanced 1.12%, indicating broad-based strength across various market segments.

Saptakoshi Development Bank Ltd (SAPDBL) hit the upper circuit limit, leading the day’s gainers. Sindhu Bikash Bank Ltd (SINDU) and Om Megashree Pharmaceuticals Ltd (OMPL) also surged 9.99% each.

On the losing end, Wean Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd (WNLB) plunged to the lower circuit limit, registering the steepest loss of the day.

Radhi Bidyut Company Ltd (RADHI) topped the turnover chart, followed by Nepal Reinsurance Company Ltd (NRIC) and Himalayan Reinsurance Ltd (HRL).

Out of NEPSE’s 13 sectoral indices, 12 closed higher. The Development Bank Index led the pack with a gain of 1.88%, while the Microfinance Index rose marginally by 0.13%. The lone laggard was the Hotels and Tourism Index, which slipped 1.24%.

With the index rebounding, total market capitalization climbed to approximately Rs 4.37 trillion, up from around Rs 4.34 trillion on Sunday.