New Year gloom for nation`s stock exchanges

Hanoi (VNA)- The Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh stock markets both suffered steep losses
in the first transaction session of the Year of the Buffalo on January 2.

The VN-Index of the HCM Stock Exchange (HOSE) closed 5.69 points down at 297.52,
the third time it has dipped below the 300-point mark.

The gloomy pre-Tet trend continued on the nation's largest bourse, dragging the
transaction volume and revenue down to just 4.7 million shares and 110.24 billion
VND. The figures, however, were slightly up against the previous session, which
posted transactions totaling 4.1 million shares and 80.6 billion VND.

Of the 172 stocks and certificates listed on the southern bourse, 43 enjoyed gains
with nine hitting the ceiling, 115 others were down with 39 falling to the floor
level, 11 remained stable and seven saw no transactions at all.

Among the top 10 listed companies, only VIC shares of the Vincom Group increased
in price, rising 1,000 VND per share, whilst shares in Vinamilk retained their
value. However, the remaining eight experienced sharp falls.

On the Hanoi Securities Trading Centre, the HASTC-Index dropped 1.29 points or
1.29 percent, closing the session at 98.64 points, following a drop to below the
100-point mark in the last transaction session of the Year of the Rat.

In total, 2.6 million shares were exchanged for 57.8 billion VND on the northern
bourse, slightly up against the 2.4 million shares and 53.6 billion VND recorded
in the previous trading session.--Enditem