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Insurers expanded their business by 15.15 percent over the first four months of the current fiscal year 2025/26. According to the Nepal Insurance Authority (NIA), non-life insurance and life insurance companies collected a combined Rs 78.05m in premiums in the review period, up from Rs 67.78bn in the same period of the previous fiscal year.

Data shows both life and non-life insurers expanded their business compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year. Premium collection by life insurance grew by 16.51 percent in the review period, while non-life premiums increased by 12.42 percent .

According to the NIA, life insurance companies collected Rs 62.21bn in total premiums between mid-July and mid-November. This marks a significant rise from Rs 53.69bn recorded during the same period last fiscal year, representing a growth of 16.51 percent. 

Renewal premiums made up a major portion of the life insurance business. By mid-November in the current fiscal year, life insurers earned Rs 49.49bn in renewal premiums alone. Nepal Life led the market with Rs 13.33bn in renewal income. National Life, LIC Nepal and Himalayan Life were next with Rs 5.58bn, Rs 5.53bn and Rs 4.95bn in renewal premiums, respectively.

Other top performers included Surya Jyoti Life (Rs 2.8bn), Asian Life (Rs 2.36bn), and Citizen Life (Rs 1.92bn). Likewise, Sanima Reliance earned Rs 1.73bn, MetLife Rs 1.62bn, Prabhu Mahalaxmi Life Rs 1.37bn, IME Life Rs 1.36bn, Reliable Nepal Life Rs 1.32bn, and Sun Nepal Life Rs 1.01bn.

Non-life companies also maintained solid momentum with a total premium of Rs 15.84bn. Sagarmatha Insurance topped the segment list with premium of Rs 1.78bn, closely followed by Shikhar Insurance with Rs 1.73bn, and Himalayan Everest Insurance with Rs 1.6bn.

Non-life companies had collected Rs 14.09bn in premiums in the first four months of the previous fiscal year. While premiums increased, the total number of active policies in life insurance declined. In the last fiscal year, life insurers had 13.3m active policies by mid-November. This year, the number dropped to 11.4m, suggesting that some policies matured, or some policyholders discontinued or failed to renew their plans.

In contrast, non-life insurers recorded growth in both premium income and policy issuance. They issued 903,098 policies in the first four months of 2025/26, up from 897,235 last year. 

The price of gold has increased by Rs 800 per tola in the domestic market on Wednesday. 

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 254, 100 per tola today. 

Similarly, the price of silver has increased by Rs 110 and is being traded at Rs 3, 655 per tola today.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 0. 53 points to close at 2, 644. 70 points on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 1. 26 points to close at 453. 99 points.

A total of 10,810,106-unit shares of 324 companies were traded for Rs 4. 48 billion.

Meanwhile, Sagar Distillery Limited (SAGAR), Swastik Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (SWASTIK), Jhapa Energy Limited (JHAPA), Mabilung Energy Limited (MABEL) and Bungal Hydro Limited (BUNGAL) were the top gainers today with their price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise,  Green Ventures Limited (GVL) was the top loser as its price fell by 9. 85 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 1. 50 trillion.

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has introduced a series of targeted adjustments aimed at reviving weak credit growth while maintaining financial and external secretary stability. In the first quarter review of the Monetary Policy for Fiscal Year 2025/26 released on Monday, the central bank has struck a moderately accommodative tone as latest figures show that credit expansion remains far below the target of 12 percent set in the monetary policy.

The central bank has reduced the policy rate from 4.5 percent to 4.25 percent, continuing its strategy of gradually narrowing the interest rate corridor. The lowering of policy rate means the central bank wants borrowing to become cheaper as lower policy rate leads to lower interbank rates which will eventually lower lending rates for businesses and individuals. 

The Standing Liquidity Facility (SLF) rate, which forms the upper bound of the corridor, has been cut to 5.75 percent from six percent, while the Deposit Facility Rate remains unchanged at 2.75 percent.  Central bank officials say the adjustments are designed to nudge lending rates downward and push the policy rate toward the corridor’s midpoint.

NRB has also left the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) unchanged, signaling that liquidity conditions are adequate and that additional easing in reserve requirements is unnecessary for now.

Meanwhile, the central bank has scrapped the rule requiring institutional fixed deposit rates to be at least one percentage point lower than personal fixed deposits. Institutional depositors will now be eligible for the same rates as individual savers. This step is expected to give banks more flexibility in mobilizing long-term funds at a lower cost.

Similarly, the central bank has doubled the personal overdraft loan limit from Rs 5m to Rs 10m. The provision is intended to stimulate private sector credit demand and support economic activity by making funds more accessible to individuals and businesses.

Likewise, the maximum secured loan ceiling per borrower in microfinance institutions has been raised from Rs 700,000 to Rs 1.5m. The central bank has also allowed microfinance institutions to reschedule or restructure existing loans to ease repayment pressure. 

For borrowers hit by floods and landslides in Ilam and other districts, the central bank has allowed banks and financial institutions to restructure or reschedule affected business loans for one time by recovering a minimum of 10 percent of accrued interest. Citing the growth of digital payments and a dense concentration of physical branches, NRB has permitted banks to merge or consolidate branches inside metropolitan cities to reduce operational costs.