Nepal’s stock market ended lower on Monday, with the benchmark NEPSE index shedding 5.54 points to close at 2,635, even as total trading volume increased compared to the previous trading session.

Most sectoral indices dragged the market down, with declines recorded in all sub-indices except development banks, hotels and tourism, manufacturing and processing, and mutual funds. The trading sector posted the steepest loss, falling 1.16 percent.

Share prices of 178 companies declined during the session. Super Madi Hydropower led the losers, with its stock price dropping 4.25 percent.

On the upside, shares of 75 companies advanced, while prices of seven companies remained unchanged. SY Panel Nepal and Shrinagar Agritech hit the upper circuit, closing at their daily maximum.

Total turnover reached Rs6.47 billion, significantly higher than the previous trading day. SY Panel Nepal recorded the highest transaction value, with shares worth Rs222.2 million changing hands, followed by Radhi Bidyut Company, which saw transactions worth Rs315.7 million.

The stock market was closed on Sunday due to a public holiday. In the previous trading session on Thursday, the NEPSE index had gained 4.59 points to close at 2,640.54, with a turnover of Rs4.90 billion.