Stocks closed essentially unchanged on the HCM Stock Exchange on Feb. 23 while shares on the Hanoi market achieved stronger gains after a strong wave of bottom-catching late in the session.

In HCM City , the VN-Index closed up just 0.14 percent to 470.67 points, although nearly 60 percent of listed securities posted gains. However, the value of trades fell 27 percent from the previous day's session to 808.2 billion VND (38.5 million USD), while volume also declined by 29 percent to 36.9 million shares.

On the backs of impressive 2010 earnings reports, banking shares began to recover from their recent slide, with Eximbank (EIB) gaining 3.5 percent over Feb. 21's close, VietinBank (CTG) 3 percent, and Sacombank (STB) 0.7 percent.

Among other blue chips seeing solid gains on Feb. 23, shares of Phu My Fertilisers (DPM) finished the session up 2.5 percent and real estate developer Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAG) saw a 2 percent gain.

Saigon Securities Inc (SSI), the most-active share with 2.2 million traded, posted a slight gain of 0.4 percent after two days of steep washout.

S&D Securities and Investment Co director Nguyen Khac Duan said investors had foreseen the current steep dip in the market due to the economic uncertainties.

"We have heard many investors say they are staying out of the market and waiting for better conditions to return," Duan said.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange on Feb. 23, the HNX-Index advanced by 1.56 percent to close at 96.95 points. Nine of the 10 leading shares by capitalisation gained ground, with Tien Phong Plastics (NTP) closing up 3.9 percent.

Market value dropped by around 22 percent to just 513.1 billion VND (24.4 million USD), with volume reaching only 32.8 million shares. PetroVietnam Construction (PVX) became the most-active share nationwide, with 2.8 million traded.

Foreign investors turned out to be net sellers nationwide on Feb. 23 by a net of 625,500 shares on both exchanges, worth a combined net of 30 billion VND (1.4 million USD)./.