HA NOI (Biz Hub)– While shares rose in HCM City, Ha Noi stocks retreated.

On the HCM City Stock Exchange, the VN-Index added 0.6 per cent to reach 489.09 points. The VN30, tracking the southern city's 30 leading shares by capitalisation and liquidity, also rose 0.4 per cent to 554.12 points.

Among blue chips, steelmaker Hoa Sen Group (HSG) saw the highest growth of 4.1 per cent. This is also the fastest increase ever seen by HSG. Others to rise by more than 3 per cent included insurer Bao Viet (BVH) and Da Nang Rubber (DRC).

Trading value this morning reached VND454.4 billion (US$21.6 million) on a volume of over 27.8 million shares.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index dropped 0.46 per cent after a rally during the opening minutes, fetching 60.20 points.

Less than 20 per cent of the listed stocks closed in the green.

Market value was low, standing at just 159.6 billion ($7.6 million) as 21.3 million shares changed hands.

Trading on the 30 largest shares tracked by the HNX30, despite accounting for more than 80 per cent of the above value, failed to lift the index up. The HNX30 lost 0.25 per cent to 113.84 points.

The afternoon session will start at 1pm. – VNS