Shares continued to rise on the HCM Stock Exchange (HOSE) on July 18 with the VN-Index edging up 0.3 percent over July 17's session to 418.83 points while the VN30 added 0.22 percent to 494.11 points.

The HCM Stock Exchange on the day revised the 30 leading stocks by capitalisation and liquidity, tracked by the VN30. Accordingly, food processor Hung Vuong (HVG) along with three property developers – Quoc Cuong Gia Lai (QCG), Khang Dien House (KDH) and Sudico (SJS) – were deleted.

Additions were Military Bank (MBB), Da Nang Rubber Co (DRC), steelmaker Hoa Sen Group (HSG) and property developer Tu Liem Urban Development Co (NTL).

The overall value of trades on the southern bourse increased slightly to 790.7 billion VND (37.6 million USD), as trading volume reached 49.4 million shares.

Sacom Development and Investment Corp (SAM) was the most active code July 18, with 3.2 million shares changing hands to end at its ceiling price of 8,000 VND per share.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index closed 71.03 points, down 0.5 percent from the previous day's value, as losers outnumbered gainers 124-93.

Large-cap stocks slumped, with the HNX30 (tracking the 30 biggest shares by market capitalisation and liquidity on the Hanoi market) down 1.18 percent to stand at 134.63 points.

Trading value reached 369.3 billion VND (17.5 million USD) on a total volume of over 38.4 million shares.

VNDirect Securities Co (VND) was still the most active share nationwide with nearly 4.4 million traded.-VNA