Shares fluctuated strongly this morning on the HCM City exchange, but recovery of several blue chips helped push up the VN-Index by the end of the first half session.

The VN-Index stood slightly higher at 391.48 points, but trading value decreased 65 per cent from yesterday to just VND159 billion (US$7.6 million).
The VN30 tracking the top 30 shares on the bourse was also up 0.09 per cent to 464.44 points.

Blue chips were mixed. Phu My Fertiliser (DPM), Eximbank (EIB), steelmaker Hoa Phat Group (HPG) and property developers Kinh Bac City Development (KBC) and Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAG) posted gains from 0.3-1.7 per cent.

At the other end of spectrum, losers included software giant FPT Corp (FPT), Vietcombank (VCB), Sacombank (STB) and insurer Bao Viet Holdings (BVH) with losses from 0.3-1 per cent.

Shares of Tan Tao Investment Industry (ITA) continued to be the most active code on trades of 1.55 million shares, closing flat at VND4,300 a share.

Meanwhile, sluggish trading on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange pushed the HNX-Index down 0.41 per cent to 53.42 points on a turnover of just VND171 billion ($8.1 million).

With 4.35 million shares changing hands, Nam Viet Bank (NVB) surprised the market to be the most active share, but the stocks fell 4.3 per cent to just VND6,700 a share.

The market condition was negative with 82 codes declining, 55 rising and 257 closing unchanged.

Trading will resume at 1pm.