Stocks down after two days of rising

On the HCMC bourse, 140 stocks gained while 157 others fell. The benchmark index ended at 962.07 points, down 0.83 points, or 0.09%, against the day earlier. Trade volume tumbled 12% to 136.38 million shares and value plunged 17% to VND3.17 trillion.

In block deals, some 40.6 million shares changed hands at a total value of VND978 billion. Sugar maker SBT saw over five million shares worth VND88 billion traded and retailer VRE had more than 4.4 million shares worth VND155.7 billion changing hands.

The heavy selloff sent many blue chips dipping, which hit the VN-Index. Dairy stock VNM dropped 1.1% at VND125,000 per share while brewery firm SAB, which performed well in the Monday session, edged 2.1% lower and electricity company POW slumped 1.6%.

The rises of multiple stocks such as gas firm GAS, retailer MWG, lenders VCB, VPB and MBB, steelmaker HPG and jewelry firm PNJ kept the index from plunging further.

Trade in key stocks was also lackluster. Around 4.4 million shares of steelmaker HPG changed hands but other stocks, including lenders VPB and MBB, tech firm FPT and retailer VRE, saw over one million shares traded each.

Construction firm ROS led the southern bourse by liquidity with 8.5 million shares transacted, followed by real estate stock HQC with 4.8 million shares traded.

Notably, bank stock TPB surged 4.7% at VND25,500 per share, with trading volume of 1.2 million shares, the highest in one month.

The HNX-Index of the Hanoi Stock Exchange lost 0.04 points, or 0.04%, to 103.95 points. There were over 24 million shares worth VND254 billion traded at the end of the day, up 48% and 20% against the session earlier, respectively.

Among large-cap stocks, a few gained ground such as industrial firm VCS which ended up 1.8% and fertilizer firm LAS which advanced 1.3%.

Lender SHB took the lead by liquidity with 2.16 million shares traded while four others — gas firm PVS, real estate developer PVX, property firm HUI and garment firm MPT — had over one million shares transacted each. They were the five most actively traded stocks on the Hanoi bourse today.