Banks drive VN-Index up

The index closed 11.5 points higher after falling 77.5 points in the last four sessions.

The VN30 basket, comprising the 30 largest capped stocks, saw 20 tickers rising.

CTG of state-owned lender VietinBank led with a 6.9% rise, followed by MBB of lender MB, up 5.1%, and ACB of Asia Commercial Bank, up 4.6%.

BVH of insurance company Bao Viet Holdings gained 4.4% and HPG of steelmaker Hoa Phat Group went up 4.3%.

SAB of brewer Sabeco and HCM of Ho Chi MInh City Securities Corp both gained 3.8%.

Six blue chips fell, with KDH of real estate firm Khang Dien House losing 5.4% and GVR of Vietnam Rubber Group falling 5.3%.

Foreign investors were net sellers to the tune of VND116 billion, mainly selling VND of brokerage VNDirect and HPG of steelmaker Hoa Phat Group.

The HNX-Index for stocks on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps, fell 0.71% while the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market dropped 0.29%.