Kathmandu, Feb. 9 -- Nepal's private sector is looking to the next government for reassurance after the September Gen Z uprising dealt a major blow to business confidence, further unsettling an already fragile investment climate.

Just as the economy was showing early signs of recovery from the Covid shock-after years of political volatility and a recessionary phase-the protest movement emerged as another setback. Businesses, the country's largest employers, say the unrest froze investment decisions and deepened uncertainty.

The contradiction in the economy is stark. Nepal's foreign exchange reserves climbed to a record Rs3.20 trillion by mid-December 2025-more than half of the country's gross domestic product-highlighting an unusual sit...