VN-Index inches up while global stocks stay stable near record-high

The index closed 2.54 points higher after dropping 1.27 points in the previous session.

Trading on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange increased by 8% to VND16.839 trillion (US$674.1 million).

The VN-30 basket, comprising the 30 largest capped stocks, saw 13 tickers gained.

BVH of insurance company Bao Viet Holdings saw the biggest growth of 3.3%, followed by GVR of Vietnam Rubber Group with a 1.9% increase and SSI of brokerage SSI Securities, up 1.5%.

Eight blue chips fell. VRE of retail real estate arm Vincom Retail closed 1.0% lower, TPB of private lender TPBank slipped 0.6%, and FPT of IT giant FPT Corporation went down 0.5%.

Foreign investors were net seller to the tune of VND79 billion, mainly selling HPG of steelmaker Hoa Phat Group and MBB of lender MB Bank.

The HNX-Index for stocks on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps, rose 0.67%, while the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market went down 0.10%.

Globally, world shares steadied on Friday, sitting just 1% shy of all-time highs, while the dollar languished around one-year lows ahead of a speech by the world’s most powerful central banker which markets will peruse for guidance on the shape of U.S. rate cuts, Reuters reported.

Europe’s broad Stoxx 600 index rose 0.14% in early trading, Asian shares outside Japan nudged down 0.1%, but Japan’s Nikkei gained 0.4% as investors digested inflation data and remarks from Bank of Japan governor Kazuo Ueda flagging a willingness to raise interest rates if the economy and inflation turn out as forecast.

That left MSCI’s all country world index up a whisker, and with early August’s turmoil in the rear view mirror, it is now trading around 1% off its mid July all time peak. S&P500 futures rose 0.3%.