Glass half full at year’s start

Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) added 1.31 points, or 0.27 per cent, to 485.97 points, strongly helped by Bao Viet Holding (BVH) hitting ceiling at the close and the Masan Group (MSN) gaining VND3,000. The two stocks alone added up to 3.43 points into the bourse’s benchmark.

Among the blue-chip stocks, PetroVietnam Finance (PVF) advanced VND700 and Sai Gon Securities (SSI) added VND200, while Vincom JSC (VIC) dropped VND1,000.

Banking sectors significantly fell with Sacombank (STB) gave back VND500, Vietcombank (VCB) declined VND1,000, Eximbank (EIB) eased VND200. Vietinbank (CTG) rose VND200.

Liquidity dipped back with volume down to 29.6 million shares, making up only half of the last session Friday. Trading value shed over 50 per cent also to VND741.88 billion ($37 million).

Decliners and advancers ran nearly even on the southern bourse, where 120 stocks advanced, 102 fell and 58 ended flat.

The HNX-Index eased back to 113.4 points, down 0.84 points or 0.73 per cent.

Major stocks Vinaconex JSC (VCG) and Kim Long Securities (KLS) slightly moved up, while the Asia Commercial Bank (ACB), Habubank (HBB) and PetroVietnam Construction (PVX) were among the decliners.

Several penny stocks strongly climbed for this session, among them MKV, VKC, VNF, SDU, GBS and KMT.

Overall, 154 stocks were up, 120 down and 93 unchanged.

Liquidity dipped also on northern bourse, where 23 million shares worth VND459.13 billion ($23 million) traded, down 33.5 per cent and 38.6 per cent respectively against the last session Friday.

Foreigners’ volumes today continued at a low level with 2.4 million shares of 63 stocks bought on the HoSE, mainly in PetroVietnam Fertilisers (DPM). The stocks HAG, HSG, PVD and VCB were focused on.

On the HNX they bought 800,200 shares of 24 stocks while selling 161,900 stocks of 13 codes, of which PVS led the buying stocks, followed by VCG, KLS, PVC and PVX. Meanwhile, PHS, EBS, PVC, ICG and SCR were sold most.