Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index closed 25.89 points higher at 2,731.8 on Thursday, the last trading day of the week.
The benchmark index, which had rebounded from a two-day losing streak with a 22.04-point gain in the previous session, added another 0.95% as banking stocks led the rally.
During the session, share prices of 161 companies advanced, while 87 declined. NRN Infrastructure and Development Ltd recorded the highest turnover, with shares worth Rs 570.57 million traded. Butwal Power Company Ltd and Sanima Bank Ltd followed with turnovers of Rs 327.34 million and Rs 263.49 million, respectively.
Total turnover improved to Rs 9.5 billion with 26.47 million units traded through 87,100 transactions.
Except for the Hydropower and Trading sub-indices, which posted slight losses, all sectoral indices closed in positive territory. The Banking sub-index surged 3.02%, while the Microfinance and Development Bank sub-indices rose 1.46% and 1.12%, respectively.
