NEPSE triggers second circuit break as index plunges 5% – The Himalayan Times – Nepal’s No.1 English Daily Newspaper

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 18

Nepal’s stock market faced sharp turbulence Thursday, hitting its second circuit breaker of the day after a steep decline of 5 percent within minutes of resuming trade.

The benchmark Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index tumbled a total of 133.61 points to close at 2,538.63, with turnover limited to Rs 287 million from 634,553 shares traded. The trading will resume after 40-minute halt.

The first trading halt occurred just two minutes after the opening bell, when the index fell 4 percent to 2,565 points, triggering an automatic 20-minute suspension under exchange rules. After trading resumed, the market slid further, prompting the second circuit break.

Under NEPSE regulations, a 20-minute pause is required for a 4 percent movement within an hour, a 40-minute halt for a 5 percent move within two hours, and a full-day closure if the index swings 6 percent or more at any time. Banking, investment, and other key sectors each dropped more than 5 percent during the session.

Thursday’s sell-off followed the exchange’s reopening after a prolonged closure amid the September 23–24 Gen Z protests. Trading had been suspended under a Securities Board directive, drawing criticism from investors. The market last traded on September 8, when the index closed at 2,672.25 points.