VN-Index gains narrow as blue chips sink

The Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), on which the VN-Index is based, saw 197 gain and 246 lose. However, 13 stocks closed at their ceiling prices, helping the index stay in the green.

Total trading volume rose slightly over the previous session, to VND10.7 trillion ($463.81 million), with just over 50 percent of it involving the VN30, a basket of the HoSE’s 30 largest caps.

The VN30-Index for these stocks shed 0.11 percent, with 16 stocks losing and 11 gaining.

Private banking stocks were the worst performers this session. VPB of VPBank was down 1.8 percent, EIB of Eximbank, 0.9 percent, TCB of Techcombank, 0.8 percent, HDB of HDBank, 0.5 percent, and STB of Sacombank, 0.3 percent.

Results were mixed in the public banking sector. While VCB of Vietcombank topped losses with 2.6 percent, CTG of VietinBank and BID of BIDV gained 2.7 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively.

Real estate stocks also saw a lackluster session. TCH of Hoang Huy Group slumped 1.7 percent, ROS of FLC Faros, was down 0.5 percent and KDH of Khang Dien House, down 0.4 percent. NVL of Novaland and VHM of Vinhomes kept their opening prices.

Other major losing tickers included VRE of mall operator Vincom Retail, which shed 1.4 percent, and MWG of electronics retailer Mobile World, down 0.7 percent.

In the opposite direction, SAB of major brewer Sabeco led gains with 3.6 percent, followed by MSN of food conglomerate Masan Group, with 3.1 percent.

Other major gainers included SBT of agricultural exporter TTC-Sugar, POW of electricity generator PetroVietnam Power, and PNJ of jewelry retailer Phu Nhuan Jewelry, all up 1.3 percent.

The HNX-Index for the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid- and small-caps, rose 0.32 percent, but the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Companies Market fell 0.59 percent.

Foreign investors turned net sellers to the tune of over VND43 billion on all three bourses, with buying pressure mostly on MBB of mid-sized state-owned Military Bank (down 0.2 percent) and VPB of VPBank.