Shares extended losses on Thursday morning on the sharp fall of large-cap stocks as investor sentiment is negatively impacted by the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic around the world. -- Photo cafef.vn

Shares extended losses on Thursday morning on the sharp fall of large-cap stocks as investor sentiment is negatively impacted by the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic around the world.

On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange, the VN-Index plunged 5.66 per cent to end at 765.45 points.

The index had dropped 3.12 per cent to 811.35 points on Wednesday.

A total of 210 million shares worth VNĐ2.9 trillion ($124.8 million) were traded on the southern market.

The large-cap tracker VN30-Index - the main driving factor of the stock market - dropped 5.9 per cent to close 713.65 points.

In the VN30 basket, 29 of the 30 largest stocks by market capitalisation and trading liquidity declined while only one increased.

Among the worst-performing large-caps were Mobile World Group (MWG), National Petroleum Group (PLX), Techcombank (TCB), Phu Nhuan Jewellery (PNJ), Masan Group (MSN), Vinhhomes (VHM) and PetroVietnam Gas JSC (GAS). They all hit the daily limit decline of 7 per cent.

On a sector basis, all 25 sectors across the market lost ground.

Dragging the market were energy, agriculture, wholesale, real estate, rubber production, logistics, construction, insurance, technology, retail, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, banking and finance, seafood processing, and food and beverage stocks.

On the Hà Nội Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index lost 4.05 per cent to close Thursday morning at 101.25 points.

The index had decreased 0.64 per cent to end Wednesday at 105.52 points. — VNS