KATHMANDU: Economic Digest presents a brief yet comprehensive roundup of major business developments in Nepal, delivered in clear and accessible summaries.
The latest developments present a mixed picture of Nepal’s economy, public administration and post-disaster recovery. The stock market showed moderate strength, with the NEPSE index gaining 11.93 points and turnover rising to Rs 5.49 billion. However, the decline in gold, silver and LPG prices indicates easing pressures in selected consumer and commodity markets. The LPG price reduction was particularly linked to the reopening of the Krishna Bhir road, which eliminated additional transportation costs.
Government finances remain a key concern. Although the government spent nearly Rs 200 billion in the first two months of FY 2026/27, capital expenditure remained low at just 1.78 percent of its annual allocation, suggesting continued challenges in translating budget allocations into development activity. Meanwhile, substantial resources remain in the Prime Minister’s Natural Disaster Relief Fund, alongside ongoing financial assistance for flood-affected communities.
The Bhote Koshi disaster continues to influence government policy, with relief for affected families, extensions for asset declarations and support for missing Nepal Electricity Authority workers. At the same time, initiatives such as the employment fair, security-printing modernization and land-use mapping indicate efforts to strengthen domestic capacity and administration.
Tourism and infrastructure also show activity, with hundreds of climbers heading to Manaslu and financing secured for a new hydropower project, although the death of a foreign climber highlights the risks associated with mountaineering.
NEPSE rises 11.93 points as turnover reaches Rs 5.49 billion
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index rose 11.93 points to close at 2,624.36 points on Thursday. Share prices of 177 companies increased, while 85 declined and 16 remained unchanged during the day’s trading session. Market turnover also edged up, reaching Rs 5.49 billion on Thursday compared with Rs 5.38 billion a day earlier. Siddhartha Bank, Shivam Cements, Solu Hydropower, Reliance Spinning Mills, NRN Infrastructure, Liberty Energy and Peoples Hydropower Company recorded the highest turnover. Among the sectoral indices, Life Insurance posted the largest gain at 1.08 percent. Banking rose 0.58 percent, Development Bank 0.38 percent, Finance 0.23 percent, Hotels and Tourism 0.85 percent, Hydropower 0.63 percent, Manufacturing and Processing 0.27 percent, Microfinance 0.55 percent, Non-Life Insurance 0.05 percent and Trading 0.22 percent.
Gold traded at Rs 299,500 and silver at Rs 4,625
The price of gold fell below Rs 300,000 per tola (11.66 grams) on Thursday, with the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association setting the rate at Rs 299,500 per tola. The price dropped by Rs 2,300 from Wednesday’s rate of Rs 301,800 per tola, bringing gold back below the Rs 300,000 mark after it crossed the threshold in the previous session. Silver also became cheaper, with its price fixed at Rs 4,625 per tola, down Rs 60 from Rs 4,685 on Wednesday. The Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association sets gold and silver prices daily based on prevailing market conditions.
LPG price reduced to Rs 2,060 per cylinder in Kathmandu
The price of LPG in the Kathmandu Valley has returned to its previous rate, with the Nepal LP Gas Industry Association directing distributors to sell cooking gas at Rs 2,060 per cylinder from Friday. The Prithvi Highway had earlier been blocked in the Krishna Bhir section following floods in the Trishuli River, forcing gas suppliers to use longer alternative routes. The resulting increase in transportation costs prompted the association to allow distributors to charge up to Rs 2,165.38 per cylinder, including an additional Rs 105.38 over the price fixed by the Nepal Oil Corporation. With an alternative track now open along the affected road section, regular transportation has resumed and LPG tankers have started arriving in Kathmandu. The association said the additional transportation charge was no longer necessary as suppliers no longer had to use alternative routes. Association President Diwan Chand has instructed LPG industries and retailers in the Kathmandu Valley to sell gas at no more than the corporation-fixed price of Rs 2,060 per cylinder from Friday.
Govt spends Rs 200 billion in first two months of current FY
The government spent nearly Rs 200 billion during the first two months of fiscal year 2026/27, according to the Financial Comptroller General Office. Government expenditure stood at Rs 199.83 billion as of September 16, representing 9.41 percent of the annual budget target. Current expenditure has reached around 9 percent of the amount allocated under the heading. The government has allocated Rs 1,270.58 billion for current expenditure in the current fiscal year. Similarly, Rs 431.10 billion has been allocated for capital expenditure, of which Rs 7.66 billion, or 1.78 percent, has been spent so far. Spending under financial management has reached 16.59 percent. Of the Rs 422.64 billion allocated for financial management in FY 2026/27, the government has spent Rs 70.13 billion, according to the office.
Prime Minister’s Natural Disaster Relief Fund balance reaches Rs 14.459 billion
The Prime Minister’s Natural Disaster Relief Fund has a total balance of Rs 14.459 billion, including Rs 10.792 billion held in accounts at nine banks as of Thursday morning, according to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. The office said the fund also has USD 23.9 million deposited in dollar-denominated accounts at two banks. Of the funds collected, the government has already released Rs 1 billion through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority to support people affected by the Bhote Koshi River flood in Rasuwa. The government has also decided to provide monthly financial assistance to flood-affected families in Rasuwa to help cover house rent and other essential expenses. Families with up to four members will receive Rs 15,000 per month, with an additional Rs 2,000 provided for each extra member. The assistance is part of the government’s measures to support affected families during the post-disaster recovery period.
30-day extension granted for asset declarations after Bhote Koshi flood
The government has granted a 30-day extension to public servants who were unable to submit their mandatory property and asset declarations on time due to the Rasuwa-Bhote Koshi flood. The Department of National Personnel Records issued a notice extending the deadline for civil servants, Nepal Police personnel and teachers working in disaster-affected areas who could not submit their declarations within the prescribed period. The government had declared areas affected by the August 26 Rasuwa-Bhote Koshi flood as disaster crisis zones. The extension applies to employees in those areas who are legally required to submit asset declarations to the National Personnel Records Office but were unable to meet the original deadline because of the disaster. The office said employees seeking the extension must submit an official recommendation from the head of their respective office confirming that the declaration could not be filed on time because of the disaster.
NEA announces immediate relief for families of missing flood workers
The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has announced immediate financial support for the dependent families of employees and workers who went missing following the devastating Bhote Koshi River floods in Rasuwa. A meeting of the NEA board of directors, chaired by Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha on September 16, decided to provide relief to families of those missing in the disaster, which affected 13 hydropower projects and left 47 NEA personnel and workers unaccounted for. According to board member Anshukiran Shahi, the first relief measure provides Rs 50,000 in immediate financial assistance for each missing person to their nearest legal beneficiary. Under a second measure, families of missing permanent employees will receive 50 percent of the initial salary of the respective employee’s grade for up to six months, beginning this month, or until a formal compensation policy is introduced.
Finance Minister Wagle leaves for three-day official visit to India
Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle left for New Delhi at 7:35 am on Thursday, leading a six-member delegation on a three-day official visit to India at the invitation of the Indian government. The Cabinet approved the visit on Wednesday. The trip aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation in economic, political and diplomatic areas, with particular attention to post-disaster reconstruction. The delegation includes senior officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is scheduled to hold a series of high-level meetings during the visit. Wagle is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday evening and meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday. He will also participate in diplomatic and business engagements. On Friday, Wagle is scheduled to attend a high-level diplomatic dialogue hosted by former Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran as chief guest and meet Javed Ashraf, Chairman of the India Trade Promotion Organization.
Two taxpayers win Rs 1 million each in monthly incentive lottery
The Inland Revenue Department has awarded Rs 1 million each to two taxpayers under its taxpayer incentive prize scheme for the period from August 17 to September 16. The department conducted the lottery on Thursday to select the winners for Bhadra. A customer who purchased goods worth Rs 2,000 from Katyayani Polyclinic was selected for the Rs 1 million prize. Another customer, who purchased goods worth Rs 7,000 from Sunita Fancy Store, also won Rs 1 million. The department said 31 other individuals were selected to receive Rs 100,000 each. The Inland Revenue Department conducts the taxpayer incentive lottery every 15 days to encourage consumers to obtain and use proper bills when purchasing goods and services.
Security Printing Center must expand into external markets, says Minister Timilsina
Minister for Information and Communications Bikram Timilsina has emphasized the need to develop the Security Printing Center into a competitive and commercially viable public entity capable of meeting domestic demand and supplying secure documents to external markets. Speaking at an expert experience-sharing program at the ministry, Timilsina stressed the importance of achieving self-sufficiency in security printing and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers. Following a government decision to classify the center as a commercial public entity, discussions at the program focused on upgrading its technology, infrastructure and skilled workforce. The aim is to enable domestic production of banknotes, passports, identity cards and revenue documents. International experts, including security design expert Tadej J. Turk, Camilla Schmidt and verification specialist Laszlo Varga, shared their experiences on international printing standards, advanced multilayer security technologies, counterfeit prevention and potential international partnerships through competitive bidding and government-to-government cooperation. The program was also attended by Communications Secretary Rajendra Kumar Paudel, Printing Department Director General Chhabindra Parajuli and Security Printing Center Executive Director Devraj Dhungana.
Govt to hold seven-day skills and employment fair in Itahari
The government is stepping up efforts to expand employment opportunities within Nepal as part of its policy to make foreign employment a choice rather than a compulsion. The initiative is part of the Employment Promotion Decade (2026-2036) announced under the government’s policies and programmes for fiscal year 2026/27. The Ministry of Youth, Labor and Employment will organize a seven-day Skills and Employment Fair in Itahari, Koshi Province, from September 30 to October 6. The event will be coordinated by a committee led by the labor minister and will bring together industries, training providers, development partners and the Social Security Fund. The fair aims to connect job seekers with potential employers based on their qualifications and skills.
466 foreign climbers receive permits to scale Mount Manaslu this autumn
A total of 466 foreign climbers have obtained permits to climb Mount Manaslu during the autumn season. The group comprises 342 men and 124 women preparing to attempt the 8,163-meter peak in Samagaun of Chumanubri Rural Municipality-1, Gorkha. According to Suraj Ghimire, director at the Department of Tourism, and Bhuwan Ojha, information officer at the Manaslu Conservation Area Project, expedition teams have already reached the base camp and fixed ropes up to Camp 3. Mount Manaslu was first successfully climbed on May 9, 1956, by Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu Sherpa. The mountain continues to draw climbers from around the world and is expected to contribute to tourism activity in the region.
Bhadrapur Customs exceeds revenue target in first two months
The Bhadrapur Customs Office collected Rs 46.6 million in revenue during the first two months of fiscal year 2026/27, exceeding its target for the period by 18.34 percent. Chief Customs Officer Prabhunarayana Mehta attributed the strong collection to an increase in formal imports following heightened vigilance and cooperation from the armed police forces to control cross-border smuggling. Imports of textiles, particularly sarees and salwar kameez, also contributed significantly to the revenue growth. The office collected Rs 31.6 million in the second month, achieving 150.38 percent of its monthly target, compared with Rs 15 million in the previous month. Value-added tax contributed Rs 22 million, followed by import duties of Rs 18.4 million, excise duties of more than Rs 6.2 million and agricultural reform fees of Rs 1.3 million. In fiscal year 2025/26, the office had collected Rs 186 million against an annual target of Rs 250.3 million.
185-member Bangladeshi corporate delegation visits Nepal
A 185-member corporate delegation from Bangladesh, representing Walton Plaza, has arrived in Kathmandu, further strengthening business and travel ties between Nepal and Bangladesh. The Nepal Tourism Board said the visit reflects continued interest in Nepal as a destination for both business and leisure travel. The board said the delegation’s arrival also provides an opportunity to showcase Nepal’s hospitality, diverse tourism products and accessible destinations while promoting stronger tourism and corporate relations between the two countries. The visit comes as Nepal continues efforts to attract international visitors and promote the country as a destination for tourism and business.
50-year-old Singaporean climber dies on Mount Manaslu
A 50-year-old Singaporean climber died on Mount Manaslu in northern Gorkha on Wednesday while descending from Camp 2 toward the base camp, according to police. The deceased has been identified as Lau Wee Seng. Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajkumar Shrestha of the District Police Office said Seng collapsed while descending in the Samagaun area of Chumanubri Rural Municipality-1. Seng had arrived in Samagaun on September 7 as a member of an expedition team attempting to climb the world’s eighth-highest mountain during the autumn season. Local authorities and expedition officials are coordinating the recovery of the body and its transportation to Kathmandu for an autopsy and other procedures in coordination with the Singaporean Embassy.
Financial closure completed for 22.50 MW Jaldigad Hydropower Project in Rukum
The 22.50 MW Jaldigad Hydropower Project in Aathabiskot Municipality of Rukum Paschim has completed its financial closure, securing an investment of Rs 4.6 billion. The project is being promoted by Shangri-La Hydropower. Rastriya Banijya Bank is leading a consortium that includes Nepal Bank Limited and Nepal Infrastructure Bank to provide Rs 3.36 billion in debt financing. The remaining Rs 1.237 billion will be raised through equity contributions from promoters Khagendra Nyaupane and Managing Director Krishna Prasad Ghimire. The tunnel-based project is expected to generate 133.45 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually and is scheduled to be completed within 33 months. The promoter group has previously been involved in hydropower ventures including Bikash Hydropower and Budhigandaki Hydropower.
Bikash Hydropower proposes 10.5% dividend from annual profits
The board of directors of Bikash Hydropower Company has proposed a total dividend of 10.5263 percent from the company’s profits for fiscal year 2025/26. At its meeting on September 16, the board proposed a 10 percent bonus share dividend worth Rs 90.9 million based on the company’s paid-up capital of Rs 909.1 million. The proposal would provide shareholders with 909,101 bonus shares. The company has also proposed a 0.5263 percent cash dividend, amounting to more than Rs 4.7 million, to cover taxes applicable to the bonus shares. The proposed dividend is subject to approval from the Electricity Regulatory Commission and endorsement by the company’s upcoming annual general meeting.
Citizens Bank International proposes 4% dividend for shareholders
The board of directors of Citizens Bank International has proposed a total dividend of 4 percent for shareholders from the company’s profits for fiscal year 2025/26. At a meeting held on September 16, the board proposed distributing 3.80 percent in bonus shares and 0.20 percent in cash to cover applicable taxes. The proposed distribution remains subject to approval from the relevant regulatory authorities and ratification by the bank’s upcoming annual general meeting.
Siddhartha Bank proposes 20% total dividend for shareholders
Siddhartha Bank’s board of directors has proposed a total dividend of 20 percent for fiscal year 2025/26. At its meeting on September 17, the board proposed a 10 percent bonus share dividend and a 10 percent cash dividend worth Rs 1.479 billion for ordinary shareholders. The bank has also proposed an 8.25 percent cash dividend totaling Rs 107.5 million for preference shareholders, calculated proportionately from the date of share allotment through July 15. The proposals are subject to approval from Nepal Rastra Bank and endorsement by the bank’s upcoming annual general meeting.
KMC advances comprehensive land-use classification and GIS mapping
The Land Use Council of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), led by Acting Mayor and Council Chairperson Sunita Dangol, has decided to begin comprehensive land-use classification and parcel-level mapping across all municipal wards. The initiative is being implemented under the Land Use Act, 2019, and Land Use Regulations, 2022. KMC has established a temporary Geo-Information and Land Management Unit to integrate spatial information into a Geographic Information System (GIS), covering agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial, forest and public land. Survey Officer Ashok Shrestha said drone and differential global positioning system surveys have already mapped 12,811 roads, of which more than 2,800 have been officially named and digitized. The survey has also recorded 210,976 buildings, including 25,019 verified structures. Land administration services have been expanded across several wards, with survey officials including Khim Rana and Prakash Dula involved in the work.
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