Stocks closed in the red on sluggish trading this morning .

On the HCM City Stock Exchange, the benchmark VN-Index slid 0.41 per cent to finish at 415.28 points, on a turnover of just VND386.7 billion (US$18.4 million).

Decliners outnumbered advancers by 117-74, led by blue chips.

Seventeen of the top 30 shares by market capitalisation and liquidity sank while only two climbed. Gainers included Phu Nhuan Jewelry (PNJ), up 2.6 per cent and Sacombank (STB), up 0.5 per cent.
The VN30 Index was down 0.57 per cent to 489.53 points.

DICO-Petroleum Trading Construction Investment (PXL), with nearly 1.65 million shares changing hands, became the most active stock in the HCM City market, rising 2.27 per cent to a close of VND4,500 a share.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index also lost 0.67 per cent to close this morning's session at 70.10 points on a total value of VND198 billion ($9.4 million).

Large-cap shares on the Ha Noi bourse led the market fall, with the HNX30 Index down 1.3 per cent to 132.77 points.

Losers overwhelmed gainers by 135-56 overall, with VNDirect Securities (VND) the most active on a total trade of 3.25 million shares. However, VND declined 1.9 per cent to VND10,100 a share by the end of the morning.

The afternoon session will resume at 1pm.