Vietnam stocks barely change while Asian markets edge up

The index closed 0.14 points higher after gaining 6.64 points in the previous session.

Trading on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange decreased by 7% to VND13.08 trillion ($521 million).

The VN-30 basket, comprising the 30 largest capped stocks, saw nine tickers gained.

VCB of state-owned lender Vietcombank led with a 1.9% rise, followed by VJC of budget airline Vietjet, up 1.7%.

HDB of HDBank increased by 1.6% and VNM of dairy giant Vinamilk went up 1.1% higher.

Sixteen blue chips fell. SSB of SeABank declined by 2.1% and HPG of steelmaker Hoa Phat Group lost 1.7%.

Foreign investors were net buyers to the tune of VND323 billion, mainly buying HDB and FPT of techt giant FPT Corporation.

The HNX-Index for stocks on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps, fell 0.25%, while the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market went down 0.23%.

A rally in Japanese shares led stocks higher on Tuesday ahead of a slew of data this week, including U.S. inflation numbers, which could clarify the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook after volatile markets last week, Reuters reported.

Japan’s Nikkei jumped more than 3% following a holiday on Monday, a welcome relief after last week’s wild swings that began with a massive sell-off spurred by a rising yen and fears of a U.S. recession.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.15% to 556.55. Chinese stocks edged down while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index ticked up 0.1%.

U.S. markets looked set to follow the cautiously optimistic tone, with S&P futures up 0.47% and Nasdaq futures up 0.72%.