The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange bounced back 0.2 per cent to close at 663.86 points after sliding on Monday.

Market trading liquidity increased from Monday’s session with more than 160 million shares being traded, worth VND3.26 trillion (US$145 million).

Market trading liquidity has increased significantly in the last two days as investors exchanged shares via put-through trading method. More than 64.6 million shares were exchanged via this method yesterday, worth VND1.28 trillion.

Large-cap stocks continued to play an important role in keeping the southern market index up at the end of yesterday’s session. Seven of the 10 largest stocks by market capitalisation made gains.

Among those stocks, dairy producer Vinamilk (VNM) rose 2 per cent after the DC Developing Markets Strategies Public Ltd Co registered to buy 500,000 shares of the largest dairy producer between December 28 and January 24.

Other large-cap stocks also made gains, including brewer Sai Gon Beer, Alcohol and Beverage Corporation (SAB), property and retail firm Vingroup (VIC) and Vietinbank (CTG). Those stocks edged up between 0.3 per cent and 0.7 per cent.

Faros Construction Corporation (ROS), insurance-finance group Bao Viet Holdings (BVH), retailer Mobile World Investment Group (MWG) and ICT group FPT Corporation (FPT) also advanced.

ROS added 0.8 per cent, BVH inched up 0.2 per cent, MWG increased by 0.4 per cent and FPT gained 1.1 per cent.

Hoang Quan Consulting-Trading-Service Real Estate Corp (HQC) was the most active stock after investors exchanged nearly eight million of the company’s shares.

On the opposite side, steel producers such as Hoa Phat Group (HPG) and Hoa Sen Group (HSG) suffered from profit-taking.

HPG fell 1.5 per cent after it jumped 6 per cent in the previous four sessions, and HSG dropped 2.9 per cent after rising 1 per cent on Monday.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX Index retreated 0.5 per cent from Monday’s level to end at 78.87 points.

The northern market index was pulled down by Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) and energy stocks.

ACB lost 2.2 per cent, while energy stocks such as PetroVietnam Technical Services Corp (PVS) and PetroVietnam Coating Corp (PVB) declined by 1.2 per cent and 6.4 per cent, respectively.

More than 33 million shares were traded on the northern bourse, worth nearly VND347 billion. – VNS