National stocks failed to retain August 19’s gains after it was announced that the consumer price index (CPI) in major cities would continue to climb.

On the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange, the VN-Index on August 20 lost over 1.2 percent to 504.81 points after the city's CPI in August rose 0.31 percent compared to last month, 1.26 percent compared to earlier this year and 3.17 percent compared to a year ago.

Trading value surged 36 percent over August 19’s session to 1.55 trillion VND (73.1 million USD) as trading volume reached 65.9 million shares.

Losers overwhelmed gainers by 128-80.

The VN30 also shed 0.7 percent to 557.52 points. Two thirds of the large-cap stocks tracked by the VN30 tumbled, including Vinamilk (VNM), property developer Vingroup (VIC), PetroVietnam Drilling Services (PVD), private equity group Masan (MSN) and insurer Bao Viet Holdings (BVH).

Investors negotiated 5 million MSN shares for 435 billion VND (20.5 million USD). However, transactions were placed at the reference price, so the stock failed to rally.

Meanwhile, foreign investors purchased 1.6 million shares of property developer Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAG) after the company declared to restructure the second time and to achieve the target of 1.1 trillion VND (51.8 million USD) profit this year. The stock closed August 20’s session up 0.9 percent.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index dropped 0.44 percent, reaching 62.65 points. Meanwhile, the HNX30 ended at 117.11 points, a 0.8 percent decline.

Trading was slower, with a 181.8 billion VND (8.5 million USD) turnover of 21.8 million shares.-VNA