Kathmandu: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index closed slightly lower on Friday, the last trading day of the week, after posting a modest gain in the previous session.

The benchmark NEPSE index declined by 4.00 points to settle at 2,724.03 points. The Sensitive Index which tracks the performance of selected large companies fell by 0.53 points.

Similarly, the Float Index dropped by 0.30 points while the Sensitive Float Index decreased by 0.23 points.

Despite the slight decline in the market index, overall trading activity increased. Shares worth Rs. 4.34 billion were traded on Friday up from Rs. 3.90 billion recorded on Thursday.

A total of 9.85 million shares of 342 listed companies changed hands through 54,177 transactions during the day.

Two companies hit the market’s positive circuit limit. These were Sopan Pharmaceuticals and Apollo Hydropower.

On the losing side, Kalinchok Hydropower recorded the biggest decline of the day with its share price falling by 10.66 percent.

In terms of trading volume, Central Finance emerged as the most actively traded company with shares worth Rs. 255.3 million exchanged. City Hotel followed closely with transactions worth nearly Rs. 250 million while Ankhu Khola Hydropower Company recorded trading worth more than Rs. 225 million.

Among the 13 sectoral indices, only four sectors ended the day in positive territory while nine sectors declined. The sectors that posted gains were Mutual Funds, Non-Life Insurance, Others and Trading. However, losses in the declining sectors remained relatively mild with none of them falling by more than 0.50 percent.

Overall, the market ended the week on a slightly negative note although higher trading turnover indicated continued investor participation and market activity.