The benchmark VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange gained 0.46 per cent to end the morning session at 1,104.53 points. — Photo cafef.vn

Shares advanced on Wednesday morning thanks to the growth of banking and large-cap stocks.

The benchmark VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange gained 0.46 per cent to end the morning session at 1,104.53 points.

More than 441 million shares were traded on the southern bourse, worth VND8.6 trillion (US$373 million).

The large-cap tracker VN30-Index was up 0.67 per cent to 1,065.47 points.

Eight-teen of the 30 large-cap stocks in the VN30 basket increased while eight declined.

A number of blue-chips attracted cash flow such as insurer Bảo Việt Holdings (BVH), steel maker Hoà Phát Group (HPG), Masan Group (MSN), Vingroup (VIC), Vinamilk (VNM), Vietnam National Petroleum Group (PLX), Vincom Retail (VRE), Phú Nhuận Jewelry (PNJ), Vinhomes (VHM) and Mobile World Group (MWG).

Banking group also rallied with Vietcombank (VCB), Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BID) and Techcombank (TCB) all gaining.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index lost 2.54 per cent to 192.10 points.

More than 71 million shares were traded on the northern market, worth VNĐ748 billion.

The afternoon trading session starts at 1pm. — VNS