Shares tumbled for the third day this morning as investors maintained a cautious view on the market outlook amid the lack of solid support information.

The benchmark VN-Index on the HCM Stock Exchange was down 1.5 per cent to 665.8 points. It decreased nearly 1.1 per cent in the last two sessions.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index inched down 0.6 per cent to 80.6 points. The index lost 0.5 per cent in the previous two sessions last week.

Market breadth was negative with 269 out of a total 691 stocks tumbling while only 105 advanced.

Large-cap stocks were the main draggers this morning as all the 10 highest valued stocks lost value. Of the top 30 largest shares by market capitalisation and liquidity, only two advanced while 25 declined.

Largest listed stock Vinamilk (VNM) was down 2.7 per cent.

Insurer Bao Viet Holdings and private equity group Masan Group (MSN) both decreased 3.7 per cent each.

Large lenders such as Vietinbank (CTG), BIDV (BID), Vietcombank (VCB) and Sacombank (STB) dipped between 0.6 per cent and 2.5 per cent each.

Low-priced stocks such as FLC Group (FLC), Tan Tao Investment Industry (ITA), Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAG) and KLF Joint Venture Investment International (KLF) continued to attract money as they were among the top buys of investors.

Liquidity was low with just 78 million shares worth VND1.3 trillion (US$58.4 million) traded on the two markets.

The afternoon session starts at 1pm. — VNS