The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange edged down 0.68 per cent to close Friday morning at 1.092,23 points. — Photo tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn

Shares on the HCM Stock Exchange declined on Friday morning due to investors’ profit-making attempts that hit large-cap stocks in the energy sector.

The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange edged down 0.68 per cent to close at 1.092,23 points. It had edged down 0.96 per cent to close at 1,099.67 points on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the minor HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange gained 0.24 per cent to end at 123.44 points.

The northern market index dropped 2.18 per cent to end at 123.15 points on Thursday.

Nearly 140.78 million shares, worth more than VND3.8 trillion (US$167.1 million), were traded on the two local exchanges.

Declining stocks outnumbered the gaining ones by 268 to 166, while 113 other stocks ended flat.

Large-cap stocks underperformed, as 21 of the 30 largest stocks by market capitalisation in the VN30 Index suffered, pulling the large-cap index down 0.93 per cent to 1,076.77 points.

Among the worst decliners of the energy sector were PetroVietnam Gas Joint Stock Corporation, Southern Gas Trading Joint Stock Company and PetroViet Nam Coating JSC, down 1.1, 1.9 and 0.5 per cent, respectively.

The afternoon trade session starts at 1pm. — VNS