VN-Index inches up with dropping trade value

The index stayed in the green throughout the day and closed 0.3 points higher after surging over 19 points Thursday as Russian forces continued to attack Ukrainian cities as the second round of talks ended without a cease-fire agreement.

Trading value on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), on which the index is based, dropped 1.9 percent to VND29.58 trillion ($1.29 billion).

The VN30 basket, comprising the 30 largest capped stocks, saw 14 tickers in the green, led by VRE of retail real estate arm Vincom Retail with a 3.2 percent increase.

PDR of Phat Dat Real Estate Development rose 2.8 percent, and ACB of Asia Commercial Bank gained 2.5 percent.

Other gainers included SSI of leading brokerage SSI Securities Corporation, up 2.4 percent, and PNJ of Phu Nhuan Jewelry, up 2.1 percent.

Fourteen blue chip tickers fell, with SAB of brewer Sabeco losing 4.2 percent, and VJC of budget airline Vietjet dropping 2.8 percent.

PLX of fuel distributor Petrolimex dropped 2.7 percent.

Foreign investors were net buyers to the tune of VND469 billion, with focus on VPB of private lender VPBank and MSN of conglomerate Masan Group.

The HNX-Index for stocks on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps, rose 0.28 percent, while the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market gained 0.09 percent.