Shares fell again on the two national stock exchanges on April 2 but the pace slowed as investors started to bargain.

On the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange, the VN-Index slipped just 0.37 percent to end at 581.67 points. Large-cap shares continued to lose value, pushing the VN30 down 0.32 percent to 658.02 points.

Over 60 percent of codes sank across the board, including many blue chips such as Masan Group (MSN), FPT Group (FPT), Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAG), Ocean Group (OGC) and Eximbank (EIB).

Trading decreased on April 2 with nearly 147 million shares worth 1.47 trillion VND (69.7 million USD) changing hands, down 15 percent in volume and 48 percent in value compared to the previous session.

Investors' bargains helped calm the markets, but as they tried to buy at low prices, it became increasingly difficult for the market to rebound, analysts of Investment Vietnam Securities Co wrote in a note.

"Selling pressure on penny and hot stocks is high and that's what we are worried most about," they said, noting that hot stocks like Duc Long Gia Lai Group (DLG), Mien Trung Petroleum Construction (PXM), PVC Petro Capital and Infrastructure Investment (PTL), An Duong Thao Dien Co (HAR) and Agribank Securities (AGR) would be under selling pressure after a long increase.

Except for PXM, which hit the ceiling price on April 2, others declined on big trades.

Tan Tao Investment Industry Corporation (ITA), the most active stock on April 2 with 13.5 million shares, climbed 2.11 percent to 9,700 VND per share after reporting that profits doubled last year.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index declined by 0.93 percent to close at 85.68 points. Market volume declined 20 percent from April 1 to over 94 million shares worth 1 trillion VND (47.4 million USD).

The PetroVietnam Construction Company (PVX) was again the most active share on the northern bourse, with 10.7 million shares traded at the unchanged price of 6,400 VND per share.

Foreign investors continued to buy local shares, concluding April 2 as net buyers on both bourses with a combined net buy value of 38.6 billion VND (1.8 million USD).-VNA