Shares finally managed to post gains on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange on December 3, but the story in Hanoi remained dismal following meagre trading on the previous trading day on November 30.

The VN-Index in the southern bourse added 0.38 percent to reach 379.27 points.

Only 21.9 million shares changed hands, totalling a combined market value of 324.4 billion VND (15.4 million USD).

Over half of the 30 leading shares tracked by the VN30 concluded the day in the black, with property developer Tan Tao (ITA) and sugarcane processor Bourbon Tay Ninh (SBT) hitting their ceiling prices. Vietinbank (CTG), PetroVietnam Finance (PVF), PetroVietnam Drilling Services (PVD) and steelmaker Hoa Phat (HPG) also had a good day.

The index finished at 445.72 points, gaining 0.46 percent.

Meanwhile, the HNX-Index in Hanoi fell to 51.04 points, down 0.02 percent from Nov. 30's close, but it could have been worse.

The new week started with bleak trading in Hanoi with just 85.3 billion VND (4 million USD) changing hands in the morning session on a volume of 14.3 million shares.

The HNX30 also shed 0.11 percent to close at 92.37 points.-VNA