The VN-Index closed off 0.55 percent on August 26 to 525.95, as profit-taking continued to keep a lid on gains on the HCM Stock Exchange.

Advances by blue chips Pha Lai Thermal Power (PPC) and PetroVietnam Drilling and Well Services (PVD) were unable to prop up the Index as many other leading shares lost value by the end of the day, including FPT, Bao Viet Holdings (BVH) and Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAG).

Trading remained brisk, with volume reaching 52.3 million shares on a turnover of 2.4 trillion VND (134.8 million USD). Sacombank (STB) remained the most active share on the southern exchange, with 4.7 million traded, representing 9 percent of total trading volume.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange on August 26, the HNX-Index closed up 0.46 percent to 164.39 points, on a volume of 28.7 million shares, worth a combined 982.6 billion VND ( 55.2 million USD).

Kim Long Securities (KLS) led the northern bourse with 2.5 million shares changing hands, followed closely by Vinashin Petroleum Investment and Transport (VSP) with 2.3 million.

In HCM City on August 26, foreign investors continued as net buyers of 244,900 shares, with a net value of 19.8 billion VND (1.1 million USD) and an overall volume of 5.4 million shares. But in Hanoi, foreign investors finished the day as net sellers of 414,600 shares, worth a total of 7.8 billion VND (438,200 USD), on an overall volume of 1.1 million shares.

A Viet Capital Securities Co report said some shares could generate returns of 20-25 percent between now and the end of the year, with inflation and FDI disbursement figures signaling better economic conditions./.