Market Overview

The Vietnamese stock market experienced a slight uptick, with the index closing 2.4 points higher, following a 5.3-point gain in the previous session. Trading volume on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange surged by 30%, reaching VND15.97 trillion (approximately US$627 million).

Sector Highlights

Within the VN-30 basket, which includes the 30 largest capped stocks, 13 tickers saw a decline. Notable decreases were observed in BID of state-owned lender BIDV, dropping 1.3%, and HPG of steelmaker Hoa Phat Group, which fell by 1.1%. Additionally, PLX of fuel distributor Petrolimex and BVH of insurance company Bao Viet Holdings closed 0.8% and 0.6% lower, respectively.

Investor Activity

Foreign investors emerged as net sellers, offloading shares worth VND275 billion, with significant sales in ACB of Asia Commercial Bank and BID.

Other Indices

The HNX-Index for the Hanoi Stock Exchange, which lists mid and small-cap stocks, slightly decreased by 0.07%. Conversely, the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market saw a 0.32% increase.

Regional Context

Asian markets showed modest gains, with movements restrained due to a holiday-shortened week. The U.S. dollar remained near a two-year high, buoyed by elevated U.S. Treasury yields, as investors adjusted expectations for fewer Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2025. In China, stocks continued their upward trajectory, supported by Beijing's efforts to bolster the economy. The CSI300 blue-chip index and Shanghai Composite Index each rose by 0.9%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index advanced by 1.08%.