VN-Index ends 8th session in 1,470 range

The index started off in the green but dipped gradually throughout the day to close one point lower in its eighth consecutive session in the 1,470 range.

Trading value on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), on which the index is based, surged 17 percent to VND33.63 trillion ($1.46 billion).

The VN30 basket, comprising the 30 largest capped stocks, saw 20 tickers in the red, with banking stocks leading the fall.

HDB of HDBank dropped 5.1 percent to the lowest in over a month, continuing its decline that began at the end of November.

Other banking stocks that fell include TPB of private TPBank with a 2.1 percent drop.

STB of Ho Chi Minh City-based lender Sacombank hit a two-week low with a 2 percent loss.

SSI of leading brokerage SSI Securities Corporation fell 2.7 percent, and HPG of steelmaker Hoa Phat Group hit a five-month low with a 2.2 percent decrease.

Ten blue chip tickers gained, with GVR of Vietnam Rubber Group rising 3.4 percent to a near five-week high.

KDH of real estate firm Khang Dien House rose 3 percent and MSN of conglomerate Masan Group, 2 percent.

Foreign investors were net buyers to the tune of VND210 billion with focus on VIC of biggest private conglomerate Vingroup and CTG of state-owned lender VietinBank.

The HNX-Index for stocks on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps, lost 0.42 percent while the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market fell 0.4 percent.