Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The stock market closed trading after just about an hour on Thursday as the third negative circuit was triggered when the market fell by 6%.
With this, the Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) closed 160.33 points lower at 2,511.91 points. This was the sixth straight loss on the bourse.
This also marked the first time since June 26 when the benchmark index fell below the psychological 2,600-point support level.
The bourse reopened on Thursday after a 10-day hiatus following widespread arson and vandalism across the country on September 8 and 9, which claimed 74 lives.
Although most government and private offices resumed on Sunday, Nepse delayed market trading by a few days to prevent panic selling in the volatile situation. However, even the delayed resumption failed to avert a crash.
The first negative circuit was triggered just three minutes into trading when the benchmark index fell by 4%. Although the market reopened after a 20-minute break, it dropped another 1%, prompting the second circuit breaker and a 40-minute halt.
Trading resumed after the 40-minute pause but shed another 1% within a minute, which led to the third circuit breaker and the closure of the market for the day.
A total of 1.75 million units worth Rs 728.7 million were traded on the bourse through 7,435 transactions on Thursday.
Prices of 217 scrips declined, while nine advanced during the session.
Shares of eight companies hit the 10% lower circuit during the session, while 24 others tumbled more than 9% by the close.
