Large-cap stocks got stronger on April 24 but were only able to push up the southern market.
On the HCM Stock Exchange, the VN-Index went up 0.81 percent to end at 565.77 points.
Of all stocks, 119 codes advanced, 85 declined and 102 ended flat.
Marketliquidity extended losses. The trading volume fell to 61.6 millionshares while trading value ended almost flat at 1.32 trillion VND (61.1million USD).
The VN30 Index, tracking the 30 largest codes by market value and liquidity, improved by 0.57 percent to end at 596.1 points.
In this basket, the ratio of decliners and was three-quarters the number of advancers at 9 to 12, while 9 remained unchanged.
Amonglarge-cap shares, Thien Long Group Corporation (TLG) reached itsceiling price at 63,000 VND by gaining 6.78 percent, while Viet ThangFeed JSC (VTF) was down to its floor price at 27,900 VND, losing 7percent.
HCM City Infrastructure Investment JSC (CII) remainedthe most active code with more than 5.4 million shares traded, but itsvalue fell to 21,100 VND.
On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, theHNX-Index decreased by 0.08 percent to close at 82.58 points. Thenorthern bourses saw 100 gainers, 87 losers and 178 flat stocks.
Marketliquidity improved slightly over the previous session with more than 43million shares worth 544 billion VND (25.2 million USD) traded, up 2.14percent.
The HNX30 Index gained 0.39 percent to close at 157.81points. This basket had 11 gainers, seven decliners and twelve flatstocks.
On the northern bourse, large-cap gas codes got strongerand became the main force in helping the market avoid further losses.Petroleum Drilling Mud Corporation (PVC) and Petroleum TechnicalServices Corporation (PVS) surged by 2.56 and 2.32 percent,respectively.
Petro Vietnam Northern Gas JSC (PVG) added 9.2 percent in market value to reach the ceiling price at 9,500 VND.
KLFJoint Venture Global Investment JSC (KLF) was the most active code onthe northern bourse with 8.8 million shares being traded, but its valuefell by 1.11 percent to 8,900 VND.
From May 4, the HNX30 basketwill change. Bao Thu Development and Investment JSC (BII) and C.E.OInvestment JSC (CEO) will be added, while Song Hong Construction JSC(ICG) and HUDLAND Real Estate Investment and Development JSC (HLD) willbe removed.
Foreign investors ended the session as net sellerson the HCM City market with a net selling value of 48 billion VND (2.2million USD) and remained as net buyers in Hanoi, posting a net purchasevalue of 31 billion VND (1.4 million USD).-VNA