#NepalWPI #WholesaleInflation
·

By Sandeep Chaudhary

Nepal’s Wholesale Price Index Rises 2.37% in August 2025: Inflationary Pressures Ease

Nepal’s Wholesale Price Index Rises 2.37% in August 2025: Inflationary Pressures Ease

The National Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for August 2025/26 shows a 2.37% year-on-year increase, reaching 159.28 compared to 155.60 in August 2024/25. While wholesale prices continue to climb, the pace of growth has eased significantly compared to previous years—3.66% in August 2024/25, 4.34% in 2023/24, and a sharp 12.58% in 2022/23. This indicates that Nepal’s wholesale inflationary pressures are cooling, offering some relief to producers, traders, and consumers.

Breaking down the monthly trend, inflation has clearly moderated. During 2022/23, Nepal experienced double-digit wholesale inflation, with prices soaring on the back of global fuel shocks and supply chain disruptions. In 2023/24, growth slowed to below 5%, and by 2024/25, the pace had stabilized between 3–6% for most months. Now, in August 2025, the 2.37% rise is the lowest in four years, suggesting greater supply stability and softer cost-push pressures in key sectors like food, fuel, and manufactured goods.

This easing is important because wholesale prices often feed into consumer-level inflation (CPI). Lower WPI growth suggests that businesses may face fewer cost burdens in raw materials, food, and industrial inputs, which could help stabilize retail prices. However, risks remain in sectors such as metals and construction materials, which showed sharp price rebounds earlier in 2025, potentially putting upward pressure on costs later in the year.

Related Blogs

Why Wealthy People Think Differently: Five Mindset Shifts That Transform How Money Works
Top

4 min read

Why Wealthy People Think Differently: Five Mindset Shifts That Transform How Money Works

Why Wealthy People Think Differently: Five Mindset Shifts That Transform How Money Works Across the world, people often blame a lack of money for holding them back from their dreams. But financial mentors argue that the truth lies elsewhere: money generally follows vision, not the other way around. Those who accumulate wealth tend to build it by aligning their purpose, skills and value with the needs of the marketplace. A deeper look at their habits reveals five fundamental principles that the wealthy embrace—principles that most people never consider. These ideas, experts say, explain why some individuals rise financially while others remain stuck in the same cycle for years.

Dipesh Ghimire

·

6 Dec, 2025

Neo Banks Poised to Transform Nepal’s Digital Economy, but Regulatory and Security Challenges Remain
Top

3 min read

Neo Banks Poised to Transform Nepal’s Digital Economy, but Regulatory and Security Challenges Remain

Neo Banks Poised to Transform Nepal’s Digital Economy, but Regulatory and Security Challenges Remain As Nepal accelerates toward a cashless future, a new generation of financial institutions—known as Neo Banks—is emerging as a potential game changer. Built entirely on digital platforms and operated through mobile applications, these virtual banks aim to deliver low-cost, user-friendly services that traditional brick-and-mortar banks have struggled to provide. Experts say Neo Banks could play a pivotal role in expanding financial inclusion and reshaping Nepal’s banking landscape, provided that regulation, cybersecurity, and public trust evolve at the same pace.

Dipesh Ghimire

·

6 Dec, 2025

Citizen Investment Trust Expands Clarity on Citizen Pension Scheme as Public Interest Rises
Top

3 min read

Citizen Investment Trust Expands Clarity on Citizen Pension Scheme as Public Interest Rises

Citizen Investment Trust Expands Clarity on Citizen Pension Scheme as Public Interest Rises As the number of Nepalis seeking long-term financial security continues to grow, the Citizen Investment Trust (CIT) has issued a detailed set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to clarify key aspects of the Citizen Pension Scheme, 2076—a contributory retirement program designed to ensure a stable income for citizens in old age. Officials say the scheme has witnessed rising participation, particularly among workers outside formal pension systems. According to CIT, any Nepali citizen can join the scheme by filling out the KYC form provided by the Trust and obtaining a pension account number. The process has also been digitized, allowing applicants to open their accounts online through the official website. This move, officials say, is expected to ease enrollment for Nepalis living both inside and outside the country.

Dipesh Ghimire

·

6 Dec, 2025

Understanding the Habit Loop: How Everyday Actions Shape Our Lives
the Habit

4 min read

Understanding the Habit Loop: How Everyday Actions Shape Our Lives

Understanding the Habit Loop: How Everyday Actions Shape Our Lives In modern life, personal success, health, happiness, and even our identity are deeply rooted in the habits we repeat each day. Whether a person becomes physically fit or struggles with poor health, whether one feels fulfilled or unhappy, or whether one achieves professional success or falls behind—the underlying driver is the same: habits. What individuals think, how they act, the routines they follow, and the behaviors they repeat ultimately shape the life they lead. Yet, while most people desire change, few understand the scientific mechanism that governs habit formation. A widely accepted behavioral framework—now popularized through scientific literature and the bestselling book Atomic Habits—explains how habits function through a simple four-step cycle: cue, craving, response, and reward. Understanding this loop, experts say, is essential not only for building good habits but also for eliminating harmful ones.

Dipesh Ghimire

·

6 Dec, 2025

Life Insurers Increase Investments by 16.56% in First Quarter Amid Declining Interest Rates
Top

3 min read

Life Insurers Increase Investments by 16.56% in First Quarter Amid Declining Interest Rates

Life Insurers Increase Investments by 16.56% in First Quarter Amid Declining Interest Rates Investment by Nepal’s life insurance companies grew significantly in the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2082/83, even as falling interest rates continue to pressure their earnings. According to regulatory data, the total investment of 14 life insurers reached Rs 7 Kharba 89 Arba 82 Crore 82 Lakh, marking a 16.56% rise compared to the same period last fiscal year. In the first quarter of 2081/82, the sector’s investment stood at Rs 6 Kharba 77 Arba 59 Crore 23 Lakh.

Dipesh Ghimire

·

6 Dec, 2025

Government to Probe Assembly Industries After Consumer Complaints Surge
Top

3 min read

Government to Probe Assembly Industries After Consumer Complaints Surge

Government to Probe Assembly Industries After Consumer Complaints Surge The government has initiated a detailed investigation into Nepal’s assembly-based automobile industries after growing public complaints that state-provided tax concessions have failed to benefit consumers. Despite receiving wide-ranging exemptions in customs duty, excise duty, income tax and electricity tariffs, assembly industries are alleged to have retained the financial gains themselves without reducing retail vehicle prices. According to officials, concerns have intensified in recent months as consumers repeatedly reported to Hello Sarkar—the government’s public grievance system—that vehicles assembled in Nepal remain as expensive as fully imported units, despite the heavy tax relief provided to the industry. Consumers expected significantly lower prices, but the market has shown “no visible difference,” triggering frustration and questions over policy effectiveness.

Dipesh Ghimire

·

6 Dec, 2025

SEBON’s IPO Pipeline Swells to 82 Companies; Over Rs 54 Billion Issues Await Approval
SEBON’s IPO

3 min read

SEBON’s IPO Pipeline Swells to 82 Companies; Over Rs 54 Billion Issues Await Approval

SEBON’s IPO Pipeline Swells to 82 Companies; Over Rs 54 Billion Issues Await Approval Nepal’s primary market is preparing for a significant expansion as 82 companies have formally applied to the Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) for approval to issue Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). According to the latest update from SEBON, the firms in the pipeline are collectively planning to issue Rs 54.95 billion worth of public shares, signaling one of the largest upcoming IPO waves in recent years. In total, these companies have requested permission to issue 382.5 million shares to the general public. SEBON officials stated that only companies with a per-share net worth above Rs 90 are being allowed to remain in the IPO pipeline. This follows a directive from Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, which ordered that firms with weaker financial health — specifically those with a net worth below Rs 90 — should not be permitted to proceed with public issuance.

Dipesh Ghimire

·

4 Dec, 2025

NRB Q1 Review 2025: Major Monetary Reforms – Lower Rates, Higher Loan Limits, Branch Mergers, Disaster Relief & Governance Overhaul
#NRBUpdate #NepalRastraBank #M

1 min read

NRB Q1 Review 2025: Major Monetary Reforms – Lower Rates, Higher Loan Limits, Branch Mergers, Disaster Relief & Governance Overhaul

NRB’s new circular lowers key interest rates, removes outdated deposit-rate restrictions, increases personal and microfinance loan limits, and allows repayment restructuring for stressed borrowers. Disaster-hit districts gain special restructuring support, banks can merge branches in metropolitan areas due to rising digital payments, and a Whistleblower Protection Mechanism is introduced to improve transparency and governance. These reforms collectively promote financial stability, credit expansion, digital transformation, and ethical banking practices in Nepal.

Sandeep Chaudhary

·

4 Dec, 2025

Nepal’s Economy Stronger Than Expected Despite Political Uncertainty, Says Finance Minister Rameshwor Khanal
Top

4 min read

Nepal’s Economy Stronger Than Expected Despite Political Uncertainty, Says Finance Minister Rameshwor Khanal

Nepal’s Economy Stronger Than Expected Despite Political Uncertainty, Says Finance Minister Rameshwor Khanal Nepal’s macroeconomic indicators remain far more resilient than commonly perceived, even amid political turbulence and widespread public anxiety, Finance Minister Rameshwor Khanal has asserted. In a detailed analytical commentary published in the SEJON Smarika 2082, Khanal argues that the economy’s fundamentals are stronger than public sentiment suggests, and that recent policy decisions have helped stabilize key financial indicators despite disruptive national events. Khanal notes that citizens naturally desire faster economic growth, more jobs, and a more vibrant private sector, but emphasizes that Nepal’s current external sector performance is “far from weak.” Imports of raw materials used by domestic industries have risen—an indicator of expanding production capacity. Exports too have improved modestly. Together, these trends reflect a healthier external sector position compared to two or three years ago, he observes.

Dipesh Ghimire

·

3 Dec, 2025

Non-Life Insurance Business Grows Nearly 13% in First Four Months, Micro-Insurance Sees Strongest Expansion
Non-Life Insurance

3 min read

Non-Life Insurance Business Grows Nearly 13% in First Four Months, Micro-Insurance Sees Strongest Expansion

Non-Life Insurance Business Grows Nearly 13% in First Four Months, Micro-Insurance Sees Strongest Expansion Nepal’s non-life insurance industry has posted notable growth in the first four months of the current fiscal year 2082/83, reflecting increasing insurance awareness and expanding economic activity across key sectors. According to data released by the Nepal Insurance Authority, the non-life insurance business grew by 12.93 percent from Shrawan to Kartik compared to the same period last fiscal year. The growth trend is visible across both large and small insurance companies, though micro-insurers recorded a far stronger expansion. While large non-life companies posted an average growth rate of 12.42 percent, small and micro-insurance companies experienced an impressive 40.18 percent surge. This divergence highlights the rising penetration of micro-insurance products, particularly among rural and low-income households.

Dipesh Ghimire

·

3 Dec, 2025