The benchmark VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange inched down 0.09 per cent to close at 831.64 points. — Photo tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn

Vietnamese shares remained negative on Friday morning while trading liquidity increased as selling pressure rose.

The benchmark VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange inched down 0.09 per cent to close at 831.64 points.

The VN-Index had lost a total of 0.35 per cent in the previous two trading days.

The HNX-Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange dropped 0.87 per cent to end at 110.37 points.

The northern market index was down 0.46 per cent on Thursday.

Trading liquidity increased sharply to more than 216 million shares being traded on the two local exchanges, worth VND3.13 trillion (US$134 million).

Large-cap stocks still weighed on the market as the VN30-Index slipped 0.34 per cent to 778.09 points.

Mid-cap and small-cap trackers also declined, losing 0.72 per cent and 0.58 per cent, respectively.

The market breadth was negative as declining stocks outclassed gainers by 295 to 174 on the two exchanges.

In the large-cap VN30 basket, 20 of the 30 largest stocks by market value and trading liquidity fell while 10 rose.

Among decliners were insurer Bao Viet Holdings (BVH), Phu Nhuan Jewellery JSC (PNJ), tech group FPT (FPT), petrol firm Petrolimex (PLX), Techcombank (TCB) and SSI Securities (SSI).

The afternoon trading session starts at 1pm. — VNS