Some smiles amid sombre trading

Advancers and decliners were nearly even on the southern bourse, while several major stocks ended higher.

Sacombank (STB) and Vietcombank (VCB) gained 0.72 per cent and 0.35 per cent respectively, outperforming the market with around 800,000 shares traded each. Saigon Securities Inc. (SSI) also advanced.

Hoa Phat Group (HPG) and FPT Corp. (FPT), which announced strong Q2 profits, also rose.

Real estate shares Hoang Quan Consulting-Trading-Service Real Estate Corp (HQC) and Investment and Trading of Real Estate JSC (ITC), Tan Tao Investment Industry (ITA) and Kinhbac City Development Share Holding Corporation (KBC) slightly added.

Particularly, real estate stock Licogi 16 (LCG) was strongly bid for today with more than 200,000 bid orders at ceiling-prices outstanding at the session’s end. The stock hit the ceiling after more than 600,000 shares matched.

The benchmark VN-Index, however, still shed 1.01 points or 0.25 per cent to 408.39 points, helped by the fall of Vinpearl Tourism and Trading (VPL) and Vincom Corp. (VIC).

Matching volumes were lackluster at 14.57 million shares worth VND259.07 billion ($12.6 million).

Put-through volumes continue animated with more than nine million shares worth VND158 billion ($7.7 million) changing hands, among them Phu Nhuan Jewelry (PNJ) and Sacombank (STB) were most active.

Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) slightly added 0.03 points 0.04 per cent to 69.95 points, helped by the gain of several major stocks.

PetroVietnam Southern Gas (PGS) jumped 4.42 per cent with more than 500,000 units matched. Kim Long Securities (KLS), Bao Viet Securities, along with PetroVietnam Construction (PVX) and PetroVietnam Northern Gas (PVG) massively ended higher with high liquidity.

Advancers outran decliners 125 to 111 on the northern bourse. Trading volumes reached nearly 19 million shares worth VND198 billion ($9.7 million), of which put-through volume made up 4.37 million shares worth VND50 billion ($2.4 million).