Stock market should be healthy: Minister Mahat

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 3: Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat stressed on the need of making the stock market healthy. Inaugurating the conference organised by Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) on the occasion of World Investor Week 2023 Monday, Minister Dr. Mahat said, "Common investors will invest only if they can benefit from the stock market because they believe that something will happen. It is necessary to protect the investment of investors. That is the concern now.”

Sometimes there is talk of insider training and there is a tendency to leak information, he said and added that the SEBON should bring it under the scope of regulation.

He said, “There is a tendency to influence investors by exaggerating. In the same sense, the securities board should make investors literate. In this regard, it is necessary to create knowledge and awareness of investment security,” said Minister Dr. Mahat.

He said that it was also necessary to create an environment of healthy competition.

He said, earlier there were only limited brokers, now the number of brokers has increased, now monopoly will be reduced.

The general investors will get the benefit of this, he said.

Informing about the launch of the chat board, Minister Dr. Mahat said, "This board has started a convenient platform that can immediately address inquiries, information and complaints about the stock market. It will be used by everyone.”

Pointing out that investment literacy is weak, he said that new methods of investment are being developed.

He said, “Information revolution brings with it new opportunities and challenges. Along with this, we have to prepare ourselves. Only then will the investors be safe. For this, the regulatory body Securities Board has been formed.”

Minister Dr. Mahat said, "The trends in the stock market, only limited people understand this market, he knows how to play in it. They benefit a lot from this. When to lower it, when to raise it, when to do what is beneficial. That is which, there is a situation in Nepal where ordinary investors are locked out.”

The stock market has gone down now, there are various reasons for that and there is a problem in regulation, micro management, he said and expressed his hope that the problems will be resolved.

“I believe that some decision will come soon for the stock market,” he said.