Shares fell on both national stock exchanges on October 24 with the VN-Index on the HCM Stock Exchange going down 0.57 percent to close at 395.45 points.

Trading continued to be sluggish with just 34.2 million shares, worth 490 billion VND (23.3 million USD), changing hands.

Blue chips tumbled as just three of the top 30 shares by market capitalisation and liquidity posted gains while others declined or closed flat, pushing the VN30 down 0.68 percent to 466.62 points.

Gainers included sugar maker Societe De Bourbon Tay Ninh (SBT), Vinh Son - Song Hinh Hydropower (VSH) and financial firm Ocean Group (OGC) with rises of more than 1 percent.

Tan Tao Investment Industry (ITA) reclaimed its position of the most active code in the afternoon with over 2 million shares changing hands, but they closed flat at 4,300 VND a share.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index closed at 54.25 points with a poor trading value of 118 billion VND (5.6 million USD).

Developer Sacomreal (SCR) was the most active code on the northern bourse with 2 million shares exchanged, going down 1.64 per cent to 5,900 VND a share.

Foreign investors continued to pick up shares on the two national stock exchanges, responsible for a net buy of 18 billion VND (857,000 USD) worth of shares. /.