On the HCM Stock Exchange, the VN-Index climbed to over 593 points before falling to 588.41 points, down 0.17 per cent from yesterday's closing level.— Photo vinacorp

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Stocks opened higher this morning on both the exchanges but closed lower toward the end of the session due to low investor participation.

On the HCM Stock Exchange, the VN-Index climbed to over 593 points before falling to 588.41 points, down 0.17 per cent from yesterday's closing level.

Blue chips were the major drag on the market, as over half of the top 30 shares by market value and liquidity crumbled, pushing the VN30 down by 0.31 per cent to close at 662.85 points.

Trading was low with just nearly 59 million shares, worth VND1.2 trillion, or US$56.9 million, changing hands by the end of the morning.

The Tan Tao Investment Industry Corporation continued to lead the trading on the southern bourse, with almost 5 million shares changing hands at VND10,100 each.

On the Ha Noi bourse, the HNX-Index also slumped 1.41 per cent to end the morning at 86.39 points, while the HNX30 was down 1.5 per cent at 177.94 points.

The market volume totaled more than 34 million shares valued at VND372.4 billion, or $17.6 million.

The PetroVietnam Construction Company was again the most active stock here, with 4.2 million shares changing hands at VND6,500, down 4.41 per cent from yesterday.

Trading will resume at 1pm. — VNS