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Net profit of commercial banks has gone up by a marginal 1.62 percent over the first seven months of fiscal year 2024-25. According to Nepal Rastra Bank, 20 commercial banks reported a combined net profit of Rs 36.06bn in the review period (mid-July 2024 to mid-Feb 2025). The combined net profit of 20 commercial banks was Rs 35.49bn in the review period of the previous fiscal year.

Nabil Bank has reported the highest net profit of Rs 4.01bn in the first seven months of 2024-25. Following closely are Global IME Bank Ltd and Nepal Investment Mega Ltd with net profits of Rs 3.89bn and Rs 3.43bn, respectively. Nepal Bank Ltd saw its net profit grow by a whopping 156.31 percent, rising to Rs 2.45bn in mid-February from Rs 959.17m in mid-February last year. Prabhu Bank Ltd also reported a 97.78 percent growth in its net profit to Rs 1,834.67bn in mid-February 2025. 

While net profit of most of the commercial banks have crossed the billion-rupee mark, a handful of banks are still not close to the one-billion-rupee threshold. NIC Asia Bank recorded the lowest net profit of Rs 464.7m in the seven-month period, followed by Kumari Bank (Rs 738.6m) and Agricultural Development Bank Ltd (Rs 799.9m). Siddhartha Bank (Rs 855.1bn), Citizens Bank (Rs 902.6bn) and Machhapuchchhre Bank (Rs 869.1m) have also reported net profits below Rs 1bn.

In contrast, only four commercial banks had reported net profit below one billion rupees in mid-February last year. Out of 20 commercial banks in the country, 11 managed to increase their net profit in mid-February compared to last year, while nine saw their net profit drop.  NIC Asia reported the biggest drop of 78.31 percent in its net profit, with the bank’s net profit dropping from Rs 2.14bn in mid-February last year to Rs 464.73m in mid-February. Next is Rastriya Banijya Bank Ltd, which saw a 53.83 percent drop in its report to Rs 1.23bn. Agricultural Development Bank Ltd and Siddhartha Bank also saw net profit drops of 49.16 percent and 39.7 percent to Rs 799.95m and
Rs 855.19m, respectively.

Low-interest income and the need to allocate substantial provisions for non-performing loans (NPLs) have significantly impacted the profitability of commercial banks. Despite a strong showing of
Rs 36.06bn in collective net profits in seven months, banks are grappling with a dual burden: diminished revenue from lending and rising costs to cover bad debts.

The banking system is currently awash with liquidity, with deposits rising amid slow credit disbursement. Nepal’s post-pandemic recovery has faltered because of global inflationary pressures and domestic issues like political instability and infrastructure delays, which have resulted in a slowdown in business expansion and consumer spending. As a result, banks have struggled to disburse credit effectively, leaving large pools of funds idle. This low credit off-take has directly affected interest income of banks. 

Meanwhile, the economic slowdown has affected borrowers’ ability to repay loans and pushed non-profit loan (NPL) levels higher. The surge in bad loans has forced banks to set aside sizable provisions to cushion potential losses which has eroded profitability of banks.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 20. 68 points to close at 2, 751.42 points on Monday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 3. 53 points to close at 459. 76 points.

A total of 15,094,915-unit shares of 311 companies were traded for Rs 8. 37 billion.

Meanwhile, NESDO Sambridha Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (NESDO) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9. 98 percent. Likewise, Upakar Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (ULBSL) was the top loser as its price fell by 6. 98 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 56 trillion.

While information communication technology (ICT)is growing at a rapid pace, women constitute only 7.88 percent of the workforce in Nepal’s ICT companies, with an even lower representation of 0.51 percent in ICT-enabled companies, a recent study conducted by Women in Information Technology (WIIT) shows.

The study titled “Barriers to Breakthroughs: Women in Nepal’s Information and Communication Technology Landscape’ states that disparity is particularly pronounced in larger organizations.

Despite comprising 51.02 percent of the population, women make up only 0.5 percent of the economically active workforce in ICT. Women’s participation in ICT leadership roles is also limited, with only 19.55 percent of women in the sector holding managerial or executive positions. While women have higher university enrollment rates compared to men, only 13.55 percent of registered engineers in the ICT field are women, according to the Nepal Engineering Council.

The majority of Nepal’s women ICT professionals fall within the 18-35 age group. There is a significant decline of women ICT professionals aged over 35 mainly due to societal expectations surrounding marriage and child-rearing, the study shows. 

Several factors, including societal norms, limited access to technical education and a lack of mentorship opportunities, contribute to this under-representation. One of the most significant barriers identified in the study is the pervasive unconscious bias in hiring and promotions. Many surveyed women reported being overlooked for leadership roles despite having the same qualifications and experience as their male counterparts. Additionally, nearly half of the respondents cited work-life balance as a major challenge, with societal expectations often placing disproportionate caregiving and household responsibilities on women.

While 67.7 percent of companies offer flexible work arrangements, 32.3 percent do not, leaving many women struggling to balance professional and personal commitments. This lack of supportive workplace policies further exacerbates the challenges women face in sustaining long-term careers in ICT, according to the study.

Even though women are under-represented in the sector, the study revealed a silver lining in terms of pay equity. A significant 87.9 percent of women in the ICT sector reported no pay disparity compared to their male counterparts.  In contrast, countries like India and Bangladesh report a 15-20 percent gender pay gap in the ICT sector.

To increase the participation of women in the ICT sector, the study encourages aspiring young women to gain hands-on experience through internships, mentorship and participation in industry-focused workshops. It also called on women to leverage online learning platforms to acquire advanced skills in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing and data analytics.

Employers must, according to the study,implement inclusive workplace policies, including flexible work arrangements, mentorship programs, and targeted recruitment initiatives to increase participation of women in the ICT sector. It also called on the government to revise labor laws to promote workplace safety, flexible work arrangements and equitable recruitment practices. The government should also facilitate mentorship programs and leadership quotas to support women’s professional growth and networking opportunities, it added.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 100 per tola in the domestic market on Monday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 170, 400 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 170, 300 per tola on Sunday.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1, 985 per tola today.