The benchmark VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange rose 0.34 per cent to 955.48 points. — Photo cafef.vn

Banking stocks simultaneously increased and helped widen the rally of the indices on Friday morning.

The benchmark VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange rose 0.34 per cent to 955.48 points.

Nearly 221.8 million shares were traded on the southern exchange, worth VNĐ3.5 trillion (US$151 million).

By market value, the large-cap tracker VN30-Index rose 0.33 per cent to 919.71 points.

Banking stocks were supporters of market, boosting VN-Index to extend gains. Gainers in the group were Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BID), Vietinbank (CTG), Military Bank (MBB), Techcombank (TCB), Vietcombank (VCB).

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index gained 0.49 per cent to 142.51 points.

Some 37.6 million shares were traded on the northern exchange, worth VND637 billion.

The afternoon trading session starts at 1pm. — VNS