A Vinamilk (VNM)'s power milk production plant. Gainers in the VN30 basket were construction group Coteccons (CTD), steel producer Hoa Phat (HPG), food and milk makers Masan (MSN) and Vinamilk (VNM), and PetroVietnam Gas (GAS). - Photo baogiaothong.vn

Vietnamese shares gained slowly on Friday morning but investors were still cautious over the possibility of a market sharp fall.

The benchmark VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange inched up 0.19 per cent to close at 965.10 points.

The VN-Index slid 0.27 per cent on Thursday.

More than 88.3 million shares were traded on the southern bourse, worth VND1.86 trillion (US$80.4 million).

Modest trading liquidity indicated investors were still concerned about a sudden decline of the stock market as there was currently little support from both domestic and international conditions.

Gaining sectors on Friday morning included securities, technology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, mining and petroleum, and building materials.

Large-cap companies returned to the positive territory as the VN30-Index was up 0.28 per cent to 881.76 points.

Gainers in the VN30 basket were construction group Coteccons (CTD), steel producer Hoa Phat (HPG), food and milk makers Masan (MSN) and Vinamilk (VNM), and PetroVietnam Gas (GAS).

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index rose 0.21 per cent to end at 102.58 points.

The northern market index dropped 0.10 per cent on Thursday.

More than 19 million shares were traded on the northern market, worth VND143 billion.

The afternoon trading session starts at 1pm. – VNS