KATHMANDU: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index continued its upward momentum on Monday, gaining 4.00 points to close at 2,595.81 points.

The benchmark index has now extended its gains for a third consecutive trading session.

The Sensitive Index rose 1.96 points, while the Float Index and Sensitive Float Index increased by 0.41 points and 0.66 points, respectively.

Despite the rise in the benchmark index, overall trading activity declined compared with the previous session. On Friday, shares worth Rs 4.83 billion were traded. On Monday, a total of 12.71 million shares of 354 companies changed hands through 49,809 transactions, with the total turnover standing at Rs 4.46 billion.

Dhaulagiri Microfinance Financial Institution was the top gainer of the session, with its share price hitting the positive circuit limit. Its stock price increased by Rs 164.10 to close at Rs 1,259.

Snow Rivers’ share price also rose by nearly 14 percent. In contrast, Ridge Line Energy recorded the largest decline, with its share price falling 6.29 percent.

Kumari Bank led the market in terms of turnover, with shares worth Rs 251.9 million traded during the session. Ghalemdi Hydro followed with transactions worth around Rs 200 million, while Sahas Urja recorded turnover exceeding Rs 195 million.

Of the 13 sectoral indices, five closed higher while eight ended lower.

The Trading sub-index recorded the strongest gain, rising 1.02 percent, followed by the Banking sub-index, which advanced 1.01 percent.

The Hotel and Tourism, Hydropower, Investment, Manufacturing and Processing, Microfinance, Mutual Fund, Non-Life Insurance and Others sub-indices declined during the session.