Shares continued to add value on the HCM City Stock Exchange yesterday.
The VN-Index gained 1.62 per cent to close at 426.06 points as advancers outnumbered decliners by 163-61. Market value, however, reached only 76.4 per cent of the previous session, dropping to VND840.35 billion (US$40 million) on a volume of 64.8 million shares.

The VN30, tracking the city's 30 leading shares in terms of capitalisation and liquidity, also rose 1.42 per cent to reach 498.31 points thanks to the recovery of 26 blue chips. Only Phu Nhuan Jewelry (PNJ) retreated 2.3 per cent, while HCM City Infrastructure Investment (CII), property developer Vingroup (VIC) and Vinh Son - Song Hinh Hydropower (VSH) closed unchanged.

Many large-cap stocks ended at their ceiling prices including insurer Bao Viet (BVH), financial conglomerate Ocean Group (OGC) and property developers Tan Tao (ITA) and Dic Corp (DIG).

Bank stocks were also favoured, with seven out of eight listed codes putting on value, notably Sai Gon- Ha Noi Bank (SHB) hitting its ceiling price of VND6,600.
The HNX-Index this morning managed to rally after tumbling on Thursday, adding 1.93 per cent to reach 59.21 points.

Most stocks managed to advance towards the end of the session, concluding at 181 gainers and 53 losers.

Nearly 88.1 million shares changed hands, resulting in a turnover of VND613 billion ($29.1 million), declining 27.7 per cent from Thursday. The HNX30, representing the northern bourse's top shares, finished 3.3 per cent up at 113.83 points.

Financial information website NHDMoney.vn reported yesterday that Viet Nam's 30 stocks would be widely introduced throughout ASEAN countries from January 12.
These shares are mainly large-cap shares and those with high liquidity listed on the nation's two stock exchanges, and are being included in a programme to link seven exchanges in the region.

The event is expected to boost the ASEAN capital market and is an opportunity for Vietnamese stocks to attract foreign investment.

Meanwhile, domestic trading was predicted to be unstable. In fact, the risk of a downtrend remained high, proved by Thursday's session, said Bao Viet Securities Co analysts Nguyen Xuan Binh and Tran Hai Yen in a note.

Investor psychology and recent economic policies might retain the rally for several sessions, they said. "However, selling pressure will overwhelm and the next few sessions that end in the black are unlikely to help the indices."

The rally was purely a chance for investors to sell, they added.

Foreign investors concluded yesterday as net buyers on both bourses with a combined margin of VND106.2 billion ($5 million).