On the Hồ Chí Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the benchmark VN-Index lost 1.6 per cent to close at 1,276.74 points. Photo cafef.vn

Shares fell on Wednesday morning as a number of banking stocks lost ground on selling pressure.

On the Hồ Chí Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the benchmark VN-Index lost 1.6 per cent to close at 1,276.74 points.

The market's breadth was positive as 232 stocks declined while 116 increased.

Some 327 million shares traded on the southern market, worth VNĐ10.4 trillion.

Banking stocks fell deeply, with VIBank (VIB) dropping 4.7 per cent, Tien Phong Bank (TPB) falling 2.3 per cent, Military Bank (MBB) declining 2 per cent, Techcombank (TCB) moving down 2.2 per cent and Vietcombank losing 2 per cent.

The VN30-Index, tracking the 30 biggest stocks in market value, decreased 2.11 per cent to 1,410.53 points. Twenty-four of the VN30 basket declined, while 5 stocks increased.

On the Hà Nội Stock Exchange (HNX), the HNX-Index lost 0.49 per cent to close at 295.26 points.

More than 49 million shares were traded on the northern bourse, worth VNĐ1 trillion. — VNS