VN-Index jumps to 12-week high

The index gradually increased throughout the day and closed 24 points higher in its third gaining session this week.

VN-Index is now 0.8 percent away from surpassing its previous peak on January 7.

Trading on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) rose 22 percent to VND26.7 trillion ($1.17 billion).

The VN30 basket, comprising the 30 largest capped stocks, saw 29 tickers in the green, led by MWG of electronics retail chain Mobile World with a 7 percent gain to a new peak.

The surge helped biggest electronics seller in Vietnam break out of the sideways pattern since the end of last year.

PNJ of Phu Nhuan Jewelry also rose to a new peak with a 6.1 percent gain.

Other gainers were SAB of brewer Sabeco, up 4 percent, HDB of HDBank, up 3.9 percent, and VPB of private lender VPBank, up 3.8 percent.

PLX of fuel distributor Petrolimex was the only blue chip ticker in the red with a 0.2 percent decline.

Foreign investors were net buyers for the fourth session in a row to the tune of VND409 billion, mainly buying VNM of dairy giant Vinamilk and DGC of Duc Giang Chemicals Group.

The HNX-Index for stocks on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps, rose 1 percent while the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market gained 0.13 percent.