VN-Index still above 1,050-point level

Vietnam's benchmark VN-Index on Thursday returned to the 1,050-point zone thanks to strong demand in the at-the-close (ATC) despite a decline just before it.

The index, which represents the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), closed at 1,053.66 points, down 0.62 points or 0.06% from Wednesday, although it approached the 1,030-point zone before the ATC.

The major bourse saw 258 tickers gaining and 137 losing, with nearly 721 million shares changing hands for more than VND12.08 trillion ($506.9 million).

Blue chips were the driving force for the VN-Index’s recovery, with 17 gainers including VIB of Vietnam International Bank, ACB of Asia Commercial Bank, SSI of Saigon Securities, TPB of TPBank, GVR of Vietnam Rubber Group, POW of PV Power, and TCB of Techcombank.

The securities group had the most positive impact on the main index, with an expansion of 1.67%. Among those gaining, SSI went up 2.07%, VND of VNDirect Securities 1.4%, VCI of Viet Capital Securities 2.96%, and HCM of Ho Chi Minh City Securities 3.51%.

The steel tickers also made impressions with HSG of Hoa Sen up 5.3%, NKG of Nam Kim 3%, and HPG of Hoa Phat 1.4%.

Other groups like oil and gas, cement, garment, and seafood also closed in green.

Meanwhile, the real estate group dropped 1.02% with a few small- and mid-cap codes gaining like HQC of Hoang Quan Corp (5.5%), KHG of Khai Hoan Land (3.4%), HDG of Ha Do Group (0.7%), and HPX of Hai Phat Invest (0.5%).

Foreign investors were net sellers for the seventh consecutive session to the tune of over VND680.6 billion ($28.56 million) on the HoSE, nearly double the previous session’s figure and marking the biggest level in 24 trading sessions.

They mainly net sold FUEVFVND certificates, VHM of Vinhomes, VRE of Vincom Retail, VND, HPG, and SSI; while net buying HCM, STB, GMD of Gemadept and POW.

The HNX-Index on the Hanoi bourse dropped 0.65 points to 209.31, while the UpCOM-Index on the unlisted public company market lost 0.05 points to close at 77.40.