The pandemic is not over yet, and people should take precautions even if they have been vaccinated, health experts say.

Nepal Oil Corporation has jacked up the price of diesel thrice in one month citing global trends.

Cashless transactions are popular among small businesses to large enterprises. But digital literacy, digital divide and trust remain as major challenges, they say.

Nirmal Kajee Shrestha, vice-president and general manager of MetLife Nepal, on the effect of the pandemic and how the company is dealing with the unfolding crisis.

The rise in legal imports has also been attributed to the immobilisation of the grey market by virus restrictions.

Nepal imported vehicles and parts worth Rs44 billion in the first half of the current fiscal year.

Not only hotels but also banks and other financial institutions have been cutting down on outsourced security staff, according to the security industry.

As a result of poor governance and political instability, opportunists are hiking the price of the Nepali staple for which the country is dependent on imports.

A survey conducted by the Ministry of Industry showed that 10.81 percent of firms have shut down.

While Beijing appears to be reluctant to open border points on different pretexts, Nepal has failed to raise the issue strongly, much to the disappointment of traders.

Other than the lack of proper business plan and demand, they collapsed after the government failed to provide subsidised loans, experts say.

Shipments are still being held up at the northern border for over 16 months now on the pretext of Covid-19 pandemic, much to importers’ chagrin.

Demand is still down in rural areas despite a surge in orders from e-commerce platforms in urban centres, firms say.

The ones planned to be established in Jhapa, Chitwan and Rupandehi will have foreign investment, officials say.

Several attempts in this regard have failed for the last decade despite the sector being governed by a four-decade old law.