Shares continued to add value during the May 27 session, boosted by positive economic information.

Credit growth in the first five months of this year reached 2.3 percent, while inventories as of May 1 declined 0.8 percent compared to the same period last year.

Although the trade deficit this month hit 2 billion USD, it indicated that production recovered. Notably, over 7,200 enterprises were established in May.

After banking deposit rates were lowered to 6 percent this year, securities firms have reduced their margin lending rates to around 15-17 percent.

Senior economist Le Xuan Nghia was optimistic about the economy. "From the research available, I think the economy is recovering from the first quarter's ailing situation," he said.

The VN-Index on the HCM City Stock Exchange gained 2.4 percent to 512.41 points.

Gainers outnumbered losers by 194-37.

Trading value was at a relatively high level, totalling 1.45 trillion VND (69 million USD) on a volume of 93.3 million shares.

Blue chips performed well. None of the 30 leading shares tracked by the VN30 declined, while only two finished the session unchanged - Vietinbank (CTG) and Eximbank (EIB).

Shares rallying between 3-6 percent included insurer property developers Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAG) and Vingroup (VIC), PetroVietnam Drilling Services (PVD) and Vietcombank (VCB).

The VN30 reached 574.82 points, a 1.95 percent increase.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index rose nearly 1.5 percent to 63.53 points.

Market value and volume fetched 677.18 billion VND (32.2 million USD) with more than 80.3 million shares.

The HNX30, representing the northern bourse's top shares, also grew by 2.8 percent to 122.79 points.

Foreign investors concluded on May 27 as buyers on both exchanges, picking up a net value of 31.2 billion VND (1.4 million USD).-VNA