The VN-Index soared to an eight-month high on January 9, adding more than 16 points or 2.94 percent to close the session at 569.73 points.

Blue chips led the market rally yesterday as two-thirds of the top 30 shares in terms of market value and liquidity gained value, including Bao Viet Holdings (BVH), Hoang Anh Gia Lai Co (HAG), Saigon Securities Inc (SSI), PetroVietnam Drilling and Wells Service Corp (PVD) and dairy giant Vinamilk (VNM).

VNM led the gainers with a rise of 4.6 percent to finish the session at 103,000 VND (4.81 USD) per share.

Outside the VN30, PV Gas (GAS) hit the ceiling price of 74,000 VND (3.46 USD) following the news that the company would buy back 10 million shares in this quarter at the maximum price of 100,000 VND a share.

The overall market condition was positive as advancers overwhelmed decliners by 110-61 and the other 82 codes closed flat. The VN30, which tracks the top 30 shares here, climbed 1.9 percent to end at 618.41 points.

Stable money inflow throughout the session was one of the biggest market supports. Both market volume and value jumped 40 percent compared with the previous session, totaling 107.5 million shares worth 1.874 trillion VND (87.6 million USD).

FLC Group (FLC) was again the leading share with 10.8 million shares traded, climbing 1.85 percent to close at 11,100 VND a share.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index also added 1.83 percent to finish at 85.65 points. Liquidity also improved here as the trading volume increased 30 percent over January 8, reaching nearly 56 million shares, while the value of trades grew 25 percent to 737 billion VND (34.4 million USD).

Sai Gon-Hanoi Bank (SHB) was the most active stock on January 9 on trades of 9.2 million shares, increasing 4.65 percent to settle at 9,000 VND a share.
Investors became more confident after rumours that the central bank held a January 9 meeting to revise Circular 36. Issued in November, the circular stipulates that banks cannot lend more than 5 percent of their charter capital to stock investments. Investors hoped the authority would ease this lending cap to bring more money into the stock market.

Foreign investors continued to sell local shares in the HCM City market on January 9 but at a slower pace, selling 1.44 billion VND (67,300 USD) worth of shares. They remained net buyers in Hanoi , picking up shares worth more than 14 billion VND (654,200 USD).-VNA