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The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index fell 7.37 points to close at 2,643.83 points on Friday, the final trading day of the week.

The decline came after the benchmark index had posted modest gains in the previous three trading sessions. The Sensitive Index fell 0.13 points, while the Float Index and Sensitive Float Index declined 0.40 points and 0.19 points, respectively.

Despite the fall in the index, trading turnover increased by more than Rs 500 million compared with Thursday. A total of 97.54 million shares of 344 companies changed hands in 43,060 transactions, generating a turnover of Rs 4.275 billion. Thursday’s turnover stood at around Rs 3.72 billion.

Mount Everest Power Development and Sarbottam Paints traded at the positive circuit limit. Shares of First Microfinance Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha and Bikash Hydropower Company gained around 7 percent, while Super Khudi Hydropower fell 12.83 percent.

Agricultural Bond (9 years) recorded the highest turnover at Rs 708.79 million, followed by Khani Khola Hydropower with around Rs 180 million and Liberty Energy with around Rs 165 million.

Of the 13 subgroups, four posted gains while nine declined. Life Insurance, Microfinance, Mutual Fund and Other subgroups recorded marginal gains.