VN-Index goes sideways around key threshold

The index fluctuated by a small margin throughout the day and closed 0.24 points higher after losing 5.5 points in the last two sessions, slipping from the psychological threshold of 1,500 points.

Trading value on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), on which the index is based, dipped marginally to VND24.54 trillion ($1.07 billion).

The VN30 basket, comprising the 30 largest capped stocks, saw 18 tickers in the red, with GAS of state-owned Petrovietnam Gas falling 1.4 percent.

It was followed by POW of electricity producer Petrovietnam Power Corporation with a 1.2 percent drop.

Most banking stocks were in the red, with VCB of state-owned lender Vietcombank down 1.2 percent, CTG of state-owned lender VietinBank down 1.1 percent, and MBB of lender MB down 0.8 percent.

Other losers included SSI of leading brokerage SSI Securities Corporation and VJC of budget airline Vietjet, losing 0.8 percent and 0.7 percent respectively.

Eight blue chip tickers gained, with MWG of electronics retail chain Mobile World gaining 3.7 percent.

PNJ of Phu Nhuan Jewelry and VPB of private lender VPBank both rose 1.1 percent.

Foreign investors were net sellers to the tune of VND49 billion with focus on VNM of dairy giant Vinamilk and VCI of Viet Capital Securities.

The HNX-Index for stocks on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps and the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market both dropped 0.23 percent.