Kathmandu, Aug. 21: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index fell 10.67 points on Friday to close at 2,618.72 points, while overall trading activity also declined slightly.

The market recorded a turnover of Rs 4.16 billion on Friday, down from Rs 4.40 billion a day earlier.

Of the companies traded, share prices of 70 companies rose, while 198 declined and 10 remained unchanged. Reliance Spinning Mills, Solu Hydropower, Ridi Power, Sanima Mai Hydropower, Sanima Middle Tamor, Mountain Energy and Sahas Urja were among the companies with the highest trading volumes.

The Others sub-index posted the steepest decline, dropping 1.06 percent. Other sectors also ended lower, with Hydropower falling 0.66 percent, Trade 0.68 percent, Development Bank 0.54 percent, Manufacturing and Processing 0.46 percent, Microfinance 0.44 percent, Finance 0.43 percent, Life Insurance 0.37 percent, Investment 0.19 percent, Hotels and Tourism 0.10 percent, and both Banking and Non-Life Insurance declining 0.04 percent.

Among individual stocks, Dhaulagiri Microfinance recorded the largest decline, falling 5.26 percent. Suryajyoti Hydro Electric dropped 4.17 percent, while Grameen Bikas Laghubitta declined 3.87 percent.

On the other hand, Sarbottam Cement posted the strongest gain, rising 15 percent. Panchakanya Mai Hydrolines climbed 13.86 percent, while Rapti Hydro and General Construction and Hathway Investment gained 5.51 percent and 4.99 percent, respectively.