Shares continued to decline on the HCM Stock Exchange on Oct. 19, with the VN-Index closing at 401.15, a loss of another 0.78 percent of its value from the previous session.

Trades were sluggish with just over 24.2 million shares exchanged, worth only 395.3 billion VND (18.8 million USD). Just three codes saw volumes in excess of a million shares: Becamex Infrastructure Development (IJC), Eximbank (EIB) and real estate developer Hoang Quan Corp (HQC).

Advancers edged decliners by 101-98, but blue chips tumbled, with none of the 10 leading shares by capitalisation posting gains. Shares hitting their ceiling prices were mostly penny stocks, such as VIKY Plastic (VKP), Full Power Construction (FPC), Post and Telecommunications Investment and Construction (PTC), Ha Nam Minerals (KSH) and Tay Bac Minerals Investment (KTB).

Meanwhile shares rebounded in the closing minutes on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, allowing the HNX-Index to inch up just 0.18 percent over on Oct. 18's close to 67.93.

Advancers outnumbered decliners by 140-86, but the market value fell slightly to 256.6 billion VND (12.2 million USD) with just 25.5 million shares traded. Kim Long Securities Co (KLS) remained the most heavily-traded stock nationwide, with nearly 2.4 million shares changing hands. It rose 1 percent to close on Oct. 19's session at 10,100 VND per share.

Foreign investors continued to unload shares, selling a net of 55 billion VND (2.6 million USD) on the HCM City market, but they were net buyers on the Hanoi market, although by a slender net value of just 231 million VND (11,000 USD)./.