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The government has collected Rs 9.82bn as capital gains tax from share transactions in the first half of 2024/25.

According to the CDS and Clearing Ltd—the agency providing centralized depository, clearing, and settlement services for share transactions—the total CGT collection from share trading between mid-July 2024 to mid-Jan 2025 has reached Rs 9.82bn.

Nearly half of the CGT collection during the period came from the first month of the current fiscal year (mid-July to mid-Aug), when Rs 4.23bn was collected from securities trading. The sixth month, Poush (mid-Dec to mid-Jan), recorded the lowest CGT collection so far this year. According to the CDS and Clearing Ltd, Rs 580.7m was collected from share transactions in Poush.

CGT collection in Bhadra (mid-Aug to mid-Sept), Ashwin (mid-Sept to mid-Oct), Kartik (mid-Oct to mid-Nov), and Mangsir (mid-Nov to mid-Dec) was Rs 2.57bn, Rs 586.55m, Rs 758.78m, and Rs 1.4bn, respectively.

Share trading during the first month of the current fiscal year (mid-July to mid-Aug) was higher than the entire collection of fiscal year 2023/24, when the government raised Rs 4.15bn as CGT from share trading.

CGT collection is tied to the market capitalization—the market price of listed shares in the secondary market. When market capitalization is high investors get a high selling price for their securities which translates to higher CGt for the state. Market capitalization had surged to Rs 4.765trn in mid-August, Rs 1.099trn higher than a month before.

Individual investors are required to pay CGT at rates of either five percent  or 7.5 percent, depending on the duration of shares held. Investors who sell shares within a year of purchase are considered short-term investors and are levied a 7.5 percent CGT. Likewise, those who sell after one year are categorized as long-term investors and are subjected to a five percent CGT. Institutional investors, on the other hand, are required to pay a 10 percent tax on their share transaction profits.

The highest CGT collection from share trading was in 2020/21, when the government mobilized Rs 15.54bn.

CGT collection is closely tied to market capitalization, which reflects the average value of shares of companies listed on the secondary market.

The farmers in Lamjung district have earned almost Rs 220 million by selling 150 metric tonnes of cardamom in the current fiscal year.

Senior Agricultural Officer of Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project Implementation Unit Office in Lamjung, Hari Bahadur Mijar, shared that the farmers in the district made a decent amount of income by supplying cardamom at a rate ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,400 per kilogram.

But the production has decreased this year compared to the last year.

The farmers sold cardamom worth Rs 240 million in the last fiscal year despite selling the product at Rs 1,200 per kilogram.

Likewise, the district produced 380 metric tonnes of cardamom and earned Rs 200 million in the year 2079/80 BS.

As per the data, the production of cardamom has decreased in Lamjung but the price has soared.

The Marsyangdi Rural Municipality in Lamjung has produced the highest quantity of cardamom.

Sanjapu village in Marsyangdi Rural Municipality alone produced 6,700 kilograms of cardamom in this year.

Around 60 households in the village there earned almost Rs 150 million from cardamom, Chairman of Sanjapu Cardamom Farmers' Group Kamkashi Gurung stated.

The Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project Implementation Unit Office said that cardamom farming is done on 750 hectares of land in the district. 

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 12. 58 points to close at 2, 601. 21 points on Sunday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 2. 41 points to close at 439. 04 points.

A total of 12,982,619-unit shares of 325 companies were traded for Rs 6. 25 billion.

Meanwhile, Bottlers Nepal (Balaju) Limited (BNL) was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Super Madi Hydropower Limited (SMHL) was the top loser as its price fell by 10.00 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 31 trillion.

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

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 157, 100 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 157, 900 per tola on Friday.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1, 860 per tola today.