Investors at the Sai Gon-Ha Noi Securities JSC (SHS). Energy stocks dragged VN Index down on Thursday morning session. — Photo vietnamplus.vn

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Vietnamese shares were mixed on the two local exchanges on Thursday morning, while energy stocks declined as oil prices fell.

The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange ended almost unchanged at 569.83 points.

The energy sector declined after global oil prices gained slightly at the end of Wednesday's session and pulled back this morning.

US benchmark crude West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell 1.2 per cent to trade at US$37.87 per barrel and London-traded Brent crude dropped 0.8 per cent to trade at $38.93 per barrel.

Among the energy stocks on the southern market, PetroVietnam Gas Corporation (GAS) and PetroVietnam Drilling and Well Service Corporation (PVD) slipped 2.1 per cent each.

Other large-cap stocks also posted losses, such as food and beverage producer Masan Group (MSN), Vietcombank (VCB) and Vietinbank (CTG), which were down 0.7 per cent, 0.5 per cent and 0.6 per cent, respectively.

Meanwhile, the HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange rose 0.4 per cent to end at 79.78 points.

Stocks that helped lift the northern bourse included the Asia Commercial Bank (ACB), An Phat Plastic and Green Environment JSC (AAA) and Vietnam Germany Steel Pipe JSC (VGS), which rose 3.3 per cent, 0.5 per cent and 2.2 per cent, respectively.

Both local markets traded more than 109.4 million shares, worth VND1.82 trillion ($81 million). — VNS