KATHMANDU, April 6: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) has decided to allow full securities trading in the secondary market on Fridays instead of Sundays, aligning with the government's recent revision of working days for public offices.
Previously, regular securities trading at NEPSE took place from Sunday through Thursday, while only odd lots were traded on Fridays. Now, with the government implementing a Saturday-Sunday weekend, NEPSE has enforced new rules to maintain five trading days per week.
The government introduced the two-day weekend effective this week, aiming to reduce the consumption of petroleum products. Amid ongoing disruptions in fuel supply, the extended weekend is intended to curb fuel use by reducing commuting and administrative operations for one additional day each week.
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According to NEPSE, a recent board meeting of the frontline regulator decided to implement the new schedule to provide investors with the same number of trading days as before. NEPSE has also announced that Friday will now be a full office day for all concerned organizations.
As per the new arrangement, office hours on Fridays have been extended until 5:00 pm to allow all share trading processes to be completed within that period. NEPSE has instructed all relevant bodies and technical departments to update their systems immediately.
Notably, NEPSE had similarly updated its trading calendar three years ago when the government temporarily introduced a two-day weekend on Saturday and Sunday.
Separately, the NEPSE Board of Directors has approved key amendments to the work procedures that govern stock dealers. These revisions are expected to streamline institutional operations and foster a more efficient environment to boost the participation of professional institutions in the country's secondary market.
