Volumes gather momentum

Some 31 million shares worth VND471.6 billion ($22.8 million) were negotiated on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE). The soaring put-through volume pushed up total volume to 57.5 million shares, worth VND808.7 billion ($39.1 million).

Among them, Sacombank (STB) was active with 19.2 million shares negotiated. The banking stock had seen more than 160 million shares changing hands via the put-through method since its share buyback announcement.

STB also outperformed the market with 5.6 million shares matched, rising 3.27 per cent to VND15,800.

Beside, real estate stocks were among the stocks negotiated the most within recent sessions. Cotec and Land-House Development (CLG) saw 1 million units, Quoc Cuong Gia Lai (QCG) 5.6 million units and Becamex Infrastructure Development (IJC) 1.2 million shares negotiated today.

Refrigeration Electrical Engineering Corp. (REE) and Saigon Securities Inc. (SSI) also had more than 1 million shares changing hands each via the put-through method.

Meanwhile, selling pressures became increasingly strong ahead of the New Year holiday. Major stocks like Bao Viet Holdings (BVH), Military Bank (MBB), Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAG), Hoa Phat Group (HPG), PetroVietnam Finance (PVF) were largely offered at low prices.

The HoSE’s VN-Index significantly lost again, down 4.88 points or 1.38 per cent to 347.8 points, although the benchmark had tumbled in some previous sessions. Some 182 stocks were off on the main bourse, including as high as 106 hitting the floor.

“It’s hard to improve investors’ sentiment at the moment,” said FPT Securities “While securities market restructuring debate is heated, there have been no actual signs of this restructuring to calm investors.”

“Besides, with the New Year holiday looming, there will hardly be a possibility of a  market recovery,” the brokerage firm added.

Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) suffered more severe selling pressures, with most the major stocks dragged down to the floor prices.

The HNX-Index lost 0.47 points or 0.82 per cent to 56.7 points. Up to 189 stocks declined on the bourse, among them 118 hitting the floor. Liquidity kept low at 36.1 million shares worth VND312.6 billion ($15.1 million), including high put-through volume of 10.3 million shares worth VND120 billion ($5.8 million).