KATHMANDU: Trading at the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) was suspended on Thursday following three consecutive negative circuit breakers triggered by post-protest selloffs. The NEPSE index fell 6 percent during the day.
The first circuit breaker was activated just two minutes after the market opened, when the index dropped 4 percent. Trading resumed after a 20-minute halt, but the market continued to fall, triggering a second suspension at 11:23 a.m. after a further 1 percent decline, bringing the total drop to 5 percent. This halt lasted 40 minutes.
When trading resumed at 12:04 p.m., the NEPSE index fell another 1 percent, reaching a total decline of 6 percent, which automatically triggered the third circuit breaker and led to a full-day suspension of trading.
The NEPSE index closed at 2,511 points, down 160 points, with total turnover amounting to Rs 728.7 million. Trading was active for just about four minutes during the day.
The sharp decline reflects investor caution and market instability following the destructive events of September 8 and 9, which have left a deep impact on Nepal’s economic confidence.
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