VN-Index declines

The index closed 0.58 points lower after dropping 7.52 points in the previous session.

Trading on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange decreased by 44% to VND12.66 trillion ($516.63 million).

The VN-30 basket, comprising the 30 largest capped stocks, saw 12 tickers gained.

MWG of electronics retail chain Mobile World went up 2.4%, followed by VCB of state-owned lender Vietcombank, up 1.5%.

BID of state-owned lender BIDV gained 1.3% and MSN of conglomerate Masan Group rose 1.2%.

Eighteen blue chips fell. SSI of leading brokerage SSI Securities Corporation dropped 2.5% and ACB of Asia Commercial Bank closed 1.9% lower.

Foreign investors were net buyers to the tune of VND54 billion, mainly buying CTG of state-owned lender VietinBank and STB of Ho Chi Minh City-based lender Sacombank.

The HNX-Index for stocks on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps, fell 1.2%, while the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market went down 0.33%.