Stocks continued to post gains on Jan. 18, with benchmark indices on both of the nation's stock exchanges closing up by over a percentage point.

"I am glad to see that the stock market has closed in the green for several successive sessions," said Minister of Finance Vuong Dinh Hue during an online exchange on Tuesday. "This year may be a promising year for the market."

On the HCM Stock Exchange, the VN-Index added nearly 1.1 percent to close at 362.66 points. The value of trades was essentially unchanged from Jan. 17's level, totalling nearly 347 billion VND (16.5 million USD), while market volume slowed to just over 18 million shares.

Insurer Bao Viet Holdings (BVH), one of the leading shares by capitalisation, hit its ceiling price, closing up 5 percent to 48,500 VND per share. Many other blue chips rose by 0.6-3 percent. Overall, advancers outnumbered decliners by 142-65.

With over 77,000 shares changing hands, Sacombank (STB) was the most-active share on the HCM City bourse.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index also edged up 1.2 percent to 57.22 points. Nearly 150 out of 393 listed codes saw gains.

Trading was sluggish, however, with market value reaching just VND128 billion ($6 million) – a decrease of 19 percent from the previous session – on a volume of just over 15 million shares.

VNDirect Securities Co (VND) was again the most-active share nationwide with 1.65 million changing hands.

Foreign investors were net buyers on both bourses by a combined net of 21.3 billion VND (about 1 million USD). /.