Bullish investors continued tohunt for shares on growing optimism that the market would continue theuptrend that started about five months ago, led by economicgrowth-driven factors like interest rate cuts.
On the HCMCity Stock Exchange, the VN-Index added 1.49 points or 0.25 per cent toend the day at 601.75. A total of 229 million shares changed hands onMarch 21 with total trading value worth more than 5,018 billion VND (238million USD), up 30 percent from March 20.
Market breadthwas positive on the HCM City Stock Exchange where 157 stocks advanced,78 tumbled and 59 closed unchanged.
The VN30-Index, trackingthe southern city's 30 largest shares by capitalisation and liquidity,rose 3.9 points or 0.58 percent to close at 679.98.
PetroVietnam Transportation Corporation (PVT) remained the most activeshare with 13.5 million trades, rallying 6.55 percent to end at 17,900VND per share. This activity was attributed to the fund review of theMarket Vector Vietnam ETF, which decided to increase its holding of PVTlast week.
Tan Tao Investment – Industry Group (ITA) camesecond in market volume with 12 million shares changing hands, slipping 1per cent to close at 9,600 VND per share. It was followed by FLC Group(FLC), which soared 6.5 percent to stand at 14,700VND on trades of 11.4million shares.
Other big gainers includedVingroup (VIC), Vinamilk (VNM) and Vietcombank (VCB) while shares ofMasan group (MSN), Bao Viet group (BVH) and PetroVietnam GAS dropped.
On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, shares advancedfor six days in a row, keeping the market index HNX-Index at a high ofthree years for another day as increasingly optimistic traders rushed tobuy local shares.
Cash continued to be injectedinto the equity market as bullish traders believed that the marketwould maintain its upward movement because valuations remainedattractive although the stock had gained a lot in the past five months, astock analyst in Hanoi said.
The HNX-Indexadded 0.66 points or 0.73 percent to close at 90.26 points. The HNX 30Index, tracking the top 30 stocks, rallied 1.07 points to finish at185.25 points.
Market breadth was positive onthe northern exchange. Among index members, 190 stocks rose, 76 tumbled,52 closed unmoved and 62 were untraded.
Tradingvolume was slightly changed from yesterday, totalling 138 millionshares worth 1,819 billion VND, up 20 percent from the previous day.
Sai Gon- Ha Noi Bank (SHB), the most active on themeasure with 24 million shares traded, rose nearly 1 percent to end atVND11,700 per share.
PetroVietnam TechnicalServices Corporation (PVS), second in liquidity with 15 million shareschanging hands, shed 0.7 per cent to settle at VND29,800 per share.-VNA