Shares failed to continue a rally on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange on Sept.18 due to modest trading.

By the end of the afternoon, the benchmark VN-Index lost 1.8 percent, falling to 394.51 points after ending flat during the morning. Market sentiment was bleak, with just 54 gainers, 37 losers and 196 listed stocks closing unchanged.

Most blue chips dropped in value. The rally of a few large-cap stocks failed to push up the VN30 – tracking the city's 30 leading shares. Only Phu Nhuan Jewelry (PNJ), Sacombank (STB) and property developer Vingroup (VIC) edged up by between 0.3-2.4 percent. The VN30 finished the day' down 1.7 percent to 460.44 points.

The overall value of trades, however, increased slightly to 623.3 billion VND (29.6 million USD) on profit-taking. Meanwhile, trading volume reached 41.8 million shares.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, shares tumbled for the second day in a row. The HNX-Index retreated nearly 3.8 percent to 56.48 points, as decliners outnumbered advancers by 192-43.

Around 32.8 million shares worth 240.67 billion VND (11.4 million USD) changed hands, up 39.7 percent in terms of value compared to Sept. 17's level.

The HNX30, tracking the bourse's top shares, also slid 4.3 percent to 104.81 points.-VNA