Photo shows investors during a trading session at Saigon Securities Inc’s office in Ha Noi. — VNS Photo Viet Thanh

Vietnamese shares extended growth on Thurday morning as investors flocked to pour money into the HCM Stock Exchange (HOSE) after a two-day halt in operations following a technical crash.

The southern bourse operated as normal from 9am on January 25.

The benchmark VN Index on HOSE advanced 2.54 per cent to close at 1,115.01 points. It had gained 2.39 per cent on January 22, the day the crash occurred, shutting down all trading activities on the exchange.

The minor HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange rose 0.85 per cent to end at 127.33 points. The northern market index finished Thursday up 0.05 per cent.

Nearly 372.3 million shares were traded on the two local exchanges, worth VND9.6 trillion (US$421.7 million).

The market breadth was negative with declining stocks outnumbering the gaining ones by 284 to 180, while 94 other stocks ended flat.

Money was poured into large-cap stocks of banks, energy and securities sectors.

Leading companies in these sectors made gains, such as Vietcombank (VCB), up 6.79 per cent; Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MBB), up 6.79 per cent; JSC Bank For Investment And Development Of Việt Nam (BID), up 6.85 per cent and PetroVietnam Gas Joint Stock Corporation (GAS), up 6.99 per cent; as well as PetroVietnam Drilling & Well Services Corporation (PVD), up 6.68 per cent; Sai Gon Securities Incorporation (SSI), up 3.8 per cent and VNDirect Securities Corporation (VND), up 2.97 per cent.

The afternoon trade session starts at 1pm. — VNS