KATHMANDU: Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) has increased by 0.23 percent to reach at 1,722.41 points in the first two hours on Wednesday.

Shares worth Rs 2,293,300,000 of 187 companies have been sold during the period.

Telecommunication companies witnessed the highest transaction with Rs 183,600,000 (with Rs 927 per unit of share) during the period.

Shivam Cement has done the second highest transaction with Rs 180,700,000 (with Rs 915 per unit of share).

Out of 12 groups involved in the transaction, development, hydro, microfinance have witnessed fall in the index while that of trades, hotels, life insurance, finance, non-life insurance, manufacturing and processing and mutual went up during the period.