Share movements remained unstable on low liquidity, closing down in Hanoi while finishing higher in Ho Chi Minh City on March 19.

The VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange added just 0.28 percent to reach 480.48 points, getting the boost mainly through PetroVietnam Gas (GAZ), steel-maker Hoa Sen (HSG) and insurer Bao Viet Holdings (BVH).

Trading value, however, fell 24.5 percent compared to the previous day’s session, totalling 611.27 billion VND (29.1 million USD) on a volume of 35.3 million shares.

Blue chips tumbled, dragging the VN30 down 0.27 percent to 547.22 points. The index, representing the performance of HCM City ’s best stocks, failed to retain earlier gains due to the decline of 16 large-cap stocks. Only eight of the shares managed to close in the green.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index reached 61.09 point, a 0.28 percent decrease from the previous day’s close.

The HNX 30, trading the capital city’s 30 leading shares in terms of capitalisation and liquidity, also dropped 0.34 percent to 117.50 points.

Market value and volume reached around only 80 percent of the previous day’s level, standing at 249.4 billion VND (11.8 million USD) and 32.8 million shares. Foreign investors concluded the day as net buyers with a combined net purchase value of 96.5 billion VND (4.5 million USD).-VNA