Banks helped lift the VN Index this morning to extend gains. — Photo baomoi.com

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Vietnamese shares were mixed on the two local exchanges this morning. Banks lifted the VN Index on the southern bourse.

The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange rose 0.5 per cent to close at 595.44 points, led by financial firms, including insurance companies and banks.

Among the insurance firms, Bao Viet Holdings (BVH) gained 0.9 per cent and BIDV Insurance Corp (BIC) added 1 per cent.

Local banks in the southern market made good gains. Vietcombank (VCB) and Vietinbank (CTG) were up 2.2 per cent and 2.4 per cent, respectively, while the Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BID) jumped 4.1 per cent.

Two companies in the agriculture sector, Hoang Anh Gia Lai JSC (HAG) and HAGL Agricultural JSC (HNG), surged 5.7 per cent and 5.8 per cent, respectively.

The HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, on the other hand, fell 0.6 per cent to end at 80.49 points.

The Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) and the Sai Gon-Ha Noi Bank (SHB) dropped 1.1 per cent and 1.5 per cent, respectively, bringing the northern bourse down.

Energy stocks also pushed the Ha Noi-based market down. PetroVietnam Coating Corp (PVB), PetroVietnam Mud Drilling Corp (PVC) and PetroVietnam Technical Service Corp (PVS) were down between 1.7 per cent and 4.2 per cent.

Both local markets exchanged more than 123.4 million shares worth VND2 trillion (US$92 million). — VNS