KATHMANDU: The NEPSE saw a drop of 7.31 points, representing a 0.36% decrease, causing it to fall below 2,000 points and settle at 1,998.96 points at the close of the trading session. Despite a notable surge of 25 points on the previous day, which saw the index surpassing the 2,000 threshold, the momentum could not be sustained, resulting in a retracement below the benchmark level. Alongside the downturn in the benchmark index, both the sensitive index, evaluating class 'A' stocks, and the float index, measuring actively traded shares, also registered declines of 0.41% and 0.45%, respectively.

The market sentiment today was predominantly negative, with few exceptions in sectors such as microfinance and trading. Particularly noteworthy was the microfinance sector's resilience amid the downturn, emerging as the top performer with a significant gain of 3.45%. Notably, three companies within this sector - Samata Gharelu Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (SAMATA), Infinity Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (ILBS), and Sadhana Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (SDLBSL) - recorded a remarkable 10% increase in their share values. Conversely, the trading sector experienced a modest gain of 0.06%.

However, certain sectors faced significant losses, with the Development Bank sector leading the downturn with a decline of 2.03%, followed by the Hydropower sector, which witnessed a drop of 1.11%. The negative market sentiment was reflected in the decrease in daily turnover, which fell from Rs 4.8 billion on the previous trading day to Rs 4.1 billion. This decline was attributed to the exchange of 9,498,298 units of shares of 308 companies in 64,181 transactions.

IME Life Insurance Company Limited (ILI) emerged as the dominant player in terms of turnover, volume, and transactions, with 497,057 units of its shares traded for Rs 287,757,558.10 across 3,911 transactions. Despite the market's fluctuations, the total market capitalization remained at Rs 3.169 trillion for the day.