Viet Nam’s benchmark VN Index ended Monday morning on a negative note, dragged down by large-cap stocks.

The VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange edged down 0.30 per cent to close at 1,005.39 points.

The benchmark index fell a total of 0.86 per cent last week.

The HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange rose 0.21 per cent to end at 114.92 points.

The northern market index dropped 1.38 per cent during the previous week.

Nearly 145.7 million shares were traded on the two local exchanges, worth VND 3.4 trillion (US $151.3 million).

Large-cap stocks pulled the market down as the blue chip VN30 Index lost 0.34 per cent to stand at 977.40 points at the end of morning trading.

17 of the 30 largest VN30 stocks fell while 17 rose.

Among the decliners were food business Kido (KDC), Vincom Retail (VRE), PetroVietnam Gas (GAS), petrol firm Petrolimex (PLX) and brewer Sabeco (SAB).

Petroleum, food and beverage and real estate were the three industries that suffered the greatest losses on Monday morning.

On the opposite side, banks, securities firms, retailers and rubber companies cushioned the market.

The afternoon trading session starts at 1pm. — VNS