The Hanoi Stock Exchange saw unusually high trading volume on Dec. 1, with 73 million shares changing hands, worth over 1.3 trillion VND (65.5 million USD).

The volume outstripped that on the HCM Stock Exchange by about 49 percent, while the value of trades on the Hanoi bourse exceeded that on the southern exchange by about 25 percent.

Shares of Kim Long Securities Co (KLS) were particularly active, generating about 13.8 million trades, but PetroVietnam Construction (PVX), Hanoi General Investment (SHN), International Financial Investment and Enterprise Development (IDJ) and PetroVietnam Land (PVL) all saw volumes in excess of 2 million shares on the day.

Despite the high volume, the HNX-Index declined by nearly 1.6 percent from the previous day's close to 106.7 points.

Shares also closed down on the HCM City exchange, with the VN-Index ending the Dec. 1's session off by 0.37 percent to 449.93. The value of trades topped 1 trillion VND (50 million USD) on a volume of more than 48 million shares.

About 30 codes on the HCM City board hit their ceiling prices, including An Giang Seafood (AGF), Alphanam (ALP), Vien Dong Pharmaceutical (DVD), Gemadept (GMD) and Vinafco (VFC), with the latter seeing offers in excess a million shares each – although the offers weren't matched./.