Investors observe market developments at a local stock trading floor. Domestic shares were mixed this morning. — Photo baotintuc.vn

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Vietnamese shares were mixed in the early session while investors remained cautious due to the market's volatility.

The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange dropped 0.7 per cent to close at 664.64 points.

The HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange inched up 0.2 per cent to end at 84.23 points.

Banks witnessed strong selling driving stocks down. The banking sector was the worst-hit in the early session.

Vietcombank (VCB), Sacombank (STB) and Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BID) pulled the sector down.

VCB fell 2.9 per cent, BID lost 1.8 per cent and STB was down 1 per cent.

Dairy firm Vinamilk (VNM) edged down 0.6 per cent although it was added to the London-based FTSE Group's FTSE Vietnam Index on Friday.

Steel producers such as Hoa Sen Group (HSG) and Nam Kim Steel JSC (NKG) rose 2.3 per cent and 4.3 per cent, respectively, following a new decision issued on Thursday to impose an anti-dumping tax on imported steel plate products.

FLC Group (FLC) was the most active stock in trading with more than 5.1 million shares being exchanged. FLC surged 5.7 per cent in the morning session.

Nearly 84 million shares were traded in the morning worth VND1.8 trillion (US$80 million).

The afternoon trading session starts at 1pm. — VNS