Viet Nam's benchmark VN Index extended its gain by 0.51 per cent to close Thursday morning at 769.88 points. — Photo tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn

Viet Nam’s benchmark VN Index extended gains on Thursday morning, driven by bank and financial stocks.

The benchmark index on the HCM Stock Exchange added 0.51 per cent to close at 769.88 points. It gained 0.6 per cent on Wednesday.

Market trading liquidity increased from Wednesday morning. Total 118 million shares were traded on the southern exchange, worth VND1.86 trillion (US$82.8 million).

Large-cap stocks performed well with 22 of the 30 largest companies by market capitalisation on the VN30 Index advancing.

Gainers included sugar producer Thanh Thanh Cong Tay Ninh Sugar JSC (SBT), Mobile World Corporation (MWG) and property developer Vingroup (VIC).

By sector, the banking-financial industries posted the highest growth rates. The banking sector index recorded a growth rate of 1.5 per cent, while the insurance and brokerage sector indices were 0.3 per cent and 0.6 per cent, respectively.

Five of the seven bank stocks listed on the HCM Stock Exchange made gains, namely Vietinbank (CTG), MBBank (MBB), Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BID), Eximbank (EIB) and Vietcombank (VCB).

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX Index advanced 0.66 per cent to end at 101.95 points. It increased by 0.4 per cent on Wednesday.

Nearly 31 million shares were exchanged on the northern market, worth VND366 billion.

The afternoon trading session starts at 1pm. — VNS