Stocks reversed the previous day's losses on the nation's stock exchanges on Feb. 22.

On the HCM Stock Exchange, the VN-Index advanced by 1.8 percent over the previous trading session to 418.41 points. Meanwhile, the VN30 also inched up nearly 1.9 percent, reaching 470.97 points.

Advancers outnumbered decliners on the southern bourse by about four-to-one, but the value of trades fell by 6.5 percent from the previous session's level, totalling 739.57 billion VND (35.2 million USD) on a volume of 54.9 million shares.

Major blue chips all gained or held their ground, while a number of subsidiaries of PetroVietnam hit their ceiling prices. The Ministry of Finance on Feb. 21 lowered import taxes on petrol from 4 percent to 0 percent, allowing petrol distributors to avoid hiking retail prices.

Shares of real estate developer Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAG), steelmaker Hoa Phat (HPG) and financial conglomerate Ocean Group (OGC) also soared on Feb. 22.

"If, in the next couple of sessions, a new group of shares appears to attract the interests of investors, the market won't decline," commented Bao Viet Securities Co analyst Pham Tien Dung.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index rose by 2.8 percent over the previous day's close, concluding the session at 65.70 points. Gainers overwhelmed losers by a margin of 204-58.

A 12.7-per-cent decline in trading volume caused the value of trades to reach just 557.6 billion VND (26.5 million USD), about 86 percent of Feb. 21's level.

Habubank (HBB) became the most-active share nationwide, with nearly 12.7 million changing hands.

The northern exchange also confirmed on Feb. 22 that it will join the HCM City bourse in expanding trading sessions to afternoons, effective on March 5.

In addition, the current one-day settlement period (T+1) for put-through deals of 100,000 shares or more will be discontinued effective March 3, the State Securities Commission announced.-VNA