Markets end in positive territory

February 17, 2012 | 16:39

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Speculators cashed in on Friday, helping boost the market from a fluctuating trend.

Both the two benchmarks rose to positive territory throughout the session. VN-Index of Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) strongly gained 6.79 points or 1.71 per cent to 403.3 points. HNX-Index of Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) jumped 1.21 point or 2 per cent to end at 61.79 points.

Financial shares led the gainers. Banking shares like Eximbank (EIB), Military Bank (MBB), Sacombank (STB), Vietcombank (VCB) jumped 2-3 per cent. Saigon Securities Inc. (SSI) gained 3.31 per cent and PetroVietnam Finance (PVF) hit the ceiling on HoSE.

Even Habubank (HBB) and Saigon-Hanoi Bank (SHB) also sharply bounded back on HNX after continuously falling in previous sessions. Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) advanced 1.89 per cent to VND21,600.

Meanwhile, information and rumours about merger and acquisitions among banks are still stirring this sector, boosting banking stocks. Among those rumours, Sacombank is still the hottest name, while Eximbank and Asia Commercial Bank are involved.

EIB was the second most active stocks on the HoSE today with 2.3 million shares matched. STB had 774,000 units matched.

Securities company shares, which most fell to below the par value, sharply jumped today. VNDirect Securities (VND) hit the ceiling, outperforming the market with 4.6 million shares matched. Kim Long Securities (KLS), Bao Viet Securities (BVS) and Wall Street Securities (WSS) sharply jumped 5-7 per cent.

Real estate and construction stocks saw a mass of leading stocks strongly rallying. Tan Tao Investment Industry Corp. (ITA), which is being strongly purchased by foreigners recently, hit the ceiling and outperformed the market with 3.1 million shares matched. Ocean Group (OGC), Becamex Infrastructure Development (IJC), Licogi 16 (LCG), Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAG) massively advanced.

VN30, the benchmark measuring blue-chips listing on HoSE, gained up to 7.68 points or 1.73 per cent to 451.22 points.

Overall, 192 stocks advanced on the HoSE, overwhelming 47 off and 68 unchanged. Some 205 stocks advanced on the HNX, compared with 55 off and 134 unchanged.

Liquidity kept quite good at 40.8 million shares worth VND547.7 billion ($26.5 million) on HoSE, with 11 million shares worth VND162 billion ($7.8 million) negotiated. The figure reached 37 million shares worth VND303 billion ($14.6 million) on the HNX.