May 16: Vietnam Stocks Close Mixed, Late Buying Buoys HNX

The benchmark VN Index fell for a sixth day in a row, losing 5.74 points or 1.25% to 449.91. Volume declined to 86.5 million shares worth of VND1.31 trillion.

Put-through trading contributed 3.4 million shares worth VND76.74 billion.  Of note, 0.63 million SAM shares and 0.6 million CTI shares were changed hands in the put-through deal at the ceiling prices of

VND8,700 and VND15,100 respectively.

The market breadth was broadly negative on the primary bourse where 62 stocks advanced, 194 tumbled, 52 closed unchanged, and 10 stocks were untraded.

The VN30 Index dipped 3.2 points, or 0.61%, to 519.7. Amongst its 30 members, 6 stocks rallied, 21 plunged and 3 were unmoved.

The market opened in the green with 3.7 million shares changed hands. The trading pace was slow, caution remained. Bottom fishing at the early trade could keep the market in the green for a while before buyers had to succumb to selling pressure and market went to the negative territory. Some buying efforts were seen before the morning session closed.

Market resumed the afternoon session with more buying interest, however, the bottom fishing efforts could only par the market loss. Some positive signs were seen in market influential stocks such as broker shares SSI, KLS, VND. Floor actions declined fast.

VSH, SAM, SSI, MBB, STB, HAG were among gainers today which provided some hope of recovery in the following sessions for other issues.

Heavy weighs VCB, BVH, VIC were still losers while MSN bucked trend.

Most active players today were all high-beta ones. SACOM Development and Investment Corporation (SAM), the most active stock on a trade of 2.7 million shares, rebounded 3.61% to end at VND8,600.

Hoang Quan Consulting Trading Service Real Estate Corporation (HQC), coming second in liquidity with 2.6 million shares changed hands, slumped 4.55% to settle at VND6,300.

PetroVietnam Transportation Corporation (PVT) rallied 1.64% to finish at VND6,200 on a trade of 2.2 million units – the third most active.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX bucked trend to close up with a gain of 0.74 point or 0.96% to 77.55.

Trading volume eased to 65.8 million shares worth VND651 billion.

The market breadth changed positive where 164 rallied, 113 declined, 55 closed unmoved, and 64 were untraded.

Hanoi-based lender Habubank (HBB), the most active on the measure with 6.4 million shares changed hands, closed flat at VND5,600.

VNDirect Securities (VND), coming second in liquidity on a trade of 4.5 million units, rose 2.5% to close at VND12,400 per share.

PetroVietnam Construction (PVX) leaped 1.98% to settle at VND10,300 on a trade of 3.8 million shares – the third most active.