On the HCM Stock Exchange, the growth of blue chips helped to lift the VN-Index by 1.06 per cent to close the morning at 587.94 points. — Photo stox

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Stocks opened lower this morning on the two exchanges, despite a long-awaited announcement being made that the government had raised the limit for foreign holdings in listed companies.

On the HCM Stock Exchange, the growth of blue chips helped to lift the VN-Index by 1.06 per cent to close the morning at 587.94 points.

The VN30, which tracks the top 30 shares by market value and liquidity, also added 1.4 per cent to end at 617.47 points.

Bank stocks were the largest gainers in the morning, as most of the lenders made gains between one and two per cent.

FLC Group (FLC) was leading the trading here, with 5.4 million of its shares being exchanged, but they declined 2.3 per cent to stand at VND8,700 each.

The overall liquidity was positive, with 65.5 million shares worth VND1.24 trillion (US$57 million) being traded by the end of the morning.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index was in the red, losing 0.24 per cent to finish at 85.31 points, with a market value of VND310 billion ($14.2 million).

FIT Investment CO (FIT) was the most active stock here with 3.2 million of its shares being traded, rising 0.8 per cent to finish at VND12,900 per share.

The afternoon session will start at 1pm. — VNS