Shares were traded below the threshold on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange on Monday morning, but at a much slower pace compared to last week as bargain efforts started to climb.

The VN-Index inched down 0.09 per cent at 881.41 points.

The southern market index lost 5.5 per cent in the previous week.

A number of large-caps recovered after days of declines which drove their prices to attractive levels.

Biggest gainers included brewer Sabeco (SAB), up 3.5 per cent; PV Gas (GAS), up 2.6 per cent; Sacombank (SAB), up 5.6 per cent; and Coteccons Construction (CTD), up 3.5 per cent.

Fifteen of the top 30 largest shares by market value and liquidity on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (VN30) remained in the dark but their losses narrowed compared to last week. Only three shares decreased by more than 1 per cent, including Masan Group (MSN), down 2 per cent; sugar manufacturer Thanh Thanh Cong – Bien Hoa (SBT), down 1.9 per cent; and Vietjet (VJC), down 1.6 per cent.

A total of nearly 117 million shares worth VND2.3 trillion (US$99 million) were traded in the morning.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index edged up 0.08 per cent to 109.66 points with more than 40 million shares worth VND505.4 billion being exchanged by the end of the morning trade.

The afternoon trade starts at 1pm. — VNS