The Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) Index declined by 12.50 points on Sunday, closing at 2,594.87, down 0.47 per cent from the previous session, as selling pressure dominated the market.

With the latest drop, the benchmark slipped back to the 2,500-point level after 14 trading days.

Nepse had last closed at this range on November 20, when it ended at 2,560.29 points.

Market breadth remained weak, with share prices of 197 companies declining, while 56 advanced and six remained unchanged.

Trading activity stayed relatively strong. A total of 11.27 million shares were traded through 60,699 transactions, generating a turnover of Rs4.04 billion, according to Nepse.

Among sub-indices, banking and mutual funds posted marginal gains of 0.11 and 0.10 points respectively, while all other groups ended lower. The life insurance sub-index recorded the biggest loss, dropping by 115.65 points.

Swastik Microfinance hit the upper circuit after its share price rose by 10 per cent, while City Hotel declined by 6.26 per cent