The VN-Index dropped back below the psychologically significant 500 mark on March 31, losing 0.3 percent to end the final trading session of March at 499.24 points, as the HCM Stock Exchange saw its second straight day of declines.

The value of the day’s trades reached 2 trillion VND (105.3 USD million) on a fairly brisk volume of 52.2 million shares, as decliners outnumbered advancers by 108-68. Eximbank (EIB) was the most active share with a volume of 3.87 million traded, accounting for 8.55 percent of the market volume.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index also slid by 1.12 percent, ending the day at 160.55. Volume on the northern market reached 22.5 million shares, worth a combined 750.4 billion VND (39.5 million USD). Kim Long Securities Co (KLS) was again the most-active shares, with 2.39 million traded.

Foreign investors were net buyers on the HCM City market on March 31, picking up about 2 million shares, but were net sellers on the northern market by a net of 321,200 shares./.