The benchmark VN-Index gained over five points, or 0.7 per cent, to reach 727.2 points on Wednesday morning as blue chips and financial stocks advanced. — Photo tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn

The benchmark VN-Index gained over five points, or 0.7 per cent, to reach 727.2 points on Wednesday morning as blue chips and financial stocks advanced.

All six listed banks on the HCM Stock Exchange increased, of which Sacombank (STB) was the largest gainer, up 4.2 per cent, followed by Vietinbank (CTG), up 3.1 per cent.

The others -- Vietcombank (VCB), BIDV (BID), Military Bank (MBB) and Eximbank (EIB) -- rose between 0.5 and 2.7 per cent each.

Shares of securities firms such as Saigon Securities Inc (SSI), HCM Securities Corp (HCM) and FPT Securities Co (FTS) also advanced 0.8-2.7 per cent.

Bank stocks increased 2.1 per cent on average while securities sector saw average growth of 1.4 per cent.

Twenty-one of the top 30 shares by market value and liquidity on the southern bourse increased while only six decreased. Half of the losers were agricultural stocks, such as Hoang Anh Gia Lai Co (HAG), Hoang Anh Gia Lai Agricultural Investment (HNG) and sugar maker Thanh Thanh Cong Tay Ninh SJC (SBT).

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index was also up 0.44 per cent at 90.77 points.

A total of 165.2 million shares worth some VND2.9 trillion (US$126.5 million) were traded on the two markets.

The afternoon session starts at 1pm. — VNS