Markets close month in bearish sentiment

Stocks on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange tumbled the second day on July 29 as investors remained neglectful.

Vietnam’s benchmark VN-Index, which tracks 296 companies and five mutual funds listed on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange, slumped 0.66 percent, or 2.69 points to close at 405.7 points.

The gauge declined 0.85 percent this week and 6.2 percent this month.

On the index, 84 stocks grew, 131 dropped, while 86 remained unchanged.

Trading on the city bourse decreased by 20 percent in volume and 11 percent in value over the previous trading session as 18.9 million shares changed hands at a value of VND370 billion.

Saigon Thuong Tin Joint Stock Commercial Bank or Sacombank (STB) topped the list of most active shares by volume with 1.075 million shares changing hands.

It was followed by FPT Corporation (FPT) with 1.074 million shares.

Saigon Securities Inc. (SSI), the country’s largest brokerage, tailed with 712,020 shares traded.

Losers on the city bourse included Century 21 Joint Stock Company (C21), Petrolimex International Trading Joint Stock Company (PIT), and Tien Giang Investment and Construction Joint Stock Company (THG).

Full Power Joint Stock Company (FPC) regained 5.56 percent to close at VND1,900.

Taya Vietnam Electric Wire and Cable Joint Stock Company (TYA) extended its winning streak to six consecutive trading sessions, building up 5 percent to VND4,200.

Dong Thap Trading Corporation (FDG) rebounded 4.93 percent to close at VND14,900.

The HNX-Index of the smaller bourse in the north also trimmed 0.4 points, or 0.57 percent, to close at 69.55 points. It lost 1.88 percent this week and 6.5 percent this month. Trading on the northern trading floor rose by 17 percent in volume and 19 percent in value over the previous trading session as 22.3 million shares were traded at VND236 billion.

Meanwhile, the UPCoM-Index of unlisted shares slipped 0.38 percent, or 0.12 points, to close 31.73 points. The measure shrank 0.5 percent this week and 3.8 percent this month. A total of 229,000 shares changed hands at a value of VND2.32 billion.

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