The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange inched down 0.3 per cent to end at 603.21 points. — VNS Photo Doan Tung

HA NOI (Bizhub) — Vietnamese shares suffered further losses this morning as food and beverage producers fell, led by Vinamilk and Masan Group.

The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange inched down 0.3 per cent to end at 603.21 points, and the HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange was down 0.4 per cent to close at 80.81 points.

The food and beverage producer index went down by 1.2 per cent with the decline of Vinamilk (VNM) and Masan Group (MSN), which fell 1.5 per cent and 1.4 per cent, respectively.

These two shares had to withstand heavy pressure from selling activity by investors, as they had made large gains during the past few days.

Local energy stocks fell slightly, following the decline of global oil prices.

Yesterday, the American benchmark crude West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped 2.4 per cent to trade at US$40.74 a barrel.

The largest energy stocks such as PetroVietnam Gas Corporation (GAS) and PetroVietnam Drilling and Well Services Corporation (PVD) lost 0.5 per cent and 1.2 per cent, respectively.

FLC Group (FLC) remained the most active stock, with more than 7.2 million of its shares being traded, and dropped 2.4 per cent.

Both local markets exchanged more than 88.8 million shares, worth VND1.7 trillion ($76 million). — VNS