HCMC bourse index hits 4-month low

Vietnam's benchmark VN-Index on Thursday fell 15.55 points, or 1.41%, to 1,087.85, marking its fourth losing session in a row and the lowest level since June 1.

The trading value on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), represented by the index, decreased by 37% to over VND13.7 trillion ($558.5 million), with more than 649 million shares changing hands. There were up to 364 losers and 141 gainers.

The VN-30 index, featuring 30 largest capped stocks, dropped 20.67 points, or 1.84%, to 1,104.89, with up to 26 tickers falling.

The biggest losers in this basket were VPB of private lender VPBank, down 4.7%; SSI of leading brokerage SSI Securities 4.6%; MWG of electronics retail chain Mobile World 3.8%; and VNM of dairy giant Vinamilk 3.4%.

Four blue chips gained slightly, led by CTG of state-owned lender VietinBank with a 0.9% rise.

Almost all stock groups such as securities, retail, construction-materials, oil and gas, steel, banking and real estate had negative impacts on the market.

The securities group was the worst performer, with all codes with high liquidity losing at least 3%, including SSI of Saigon Securities, VND of VNDirect Securities, VIX of VIX Securities, SHS of Saigon-Hanoi Securities, and HCM of Ho Chi Minh City Securities.

Four stocks closing at their floor prices were VCI of Viet Capital Securities, FTS of FPT Securities, CTS of VietinBank Securities, and AGR of Agribank Securities.

Foreign investors continued to be net buyers for the third consecutive session on the HoSE to the tune of VND269 billion ($10.95 million). They mainly net purchased FPT of IT giant FPT Corporation and STB of Ho Chi Minh City-based lender Sacombank.

The HNX-Index on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps, fell 1.62% to 223.45 points, while the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market dropped 1.09% to 85 points.