The benchmark VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange lost 0.04 per cent to end the morning session at 1,193.76 points. — Photo cafef.vn

Shares struggled on Monday morning as investors are becoming more cautious when the VN-Index is approaching the historical peak of 1,200 points.

The benchmark VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange lost 0.04 per cent to end the morning session at 1,193.76 points.

More than 452.4 million shares were traded on the southern bourse, worth VND10.4 trillion (US$450 million).

The large-cap tracker VN30-Index was down 0.27 per cent to 1,179.02 points.

Seven-teen of the 30 large-cap stocks in the VN30 basket increased while ten declined.

A number of blue-chips lost ground such as insurer Bảo Việt Holdings (BVH), steel maker Hoà Phát Group (HPG), Masan Group (MSN), Vingroup (VIC), Vinamilk (VNM), Vietnam National Petroleum Group (PLX), Vincom Retail (VRE), Phú Nhuận Jewelry (PNJ), Vinhomes (VHM) and Mobile World Group (MWG).

Banking group also slumped with Vietcombank (VCB), Military Bank (MBB), VPBank (PVB) and Techcombank (TCB) all falling.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index rose 3.05 per cent to 232.35 points.

More than 92.9 million shares were traded on the northern market, worth VNĐ1.3 trillion.

The afternoon trading session starts at 1pm. — VNS