Stepped-up buys buoy Index

Hanoi (VNA/VNS) - The VN-Index managed to pick up 1.92 points or 0.78 percent, to
close at 247.66 on Mar. 2, with advancers outnumbering decliners on the Ho Chi Minh
Stock Exchange by two-to-one.

Trading volume dropped by 17 percent from Feb. 27, however, reaching only 8.55
million shares and a value of 158.05 billion VND (9.03 million USD).

Sacombank (STB) was the most-active share, with 1.76 million traded, but a number
of prominent shares posted gains on the day, including software giant FPT, Tan Tao
Industrial Park (ITA) and PetroVietnam Drilling (PVD).

Foreigners continued to sell at a net volume of 1.9 million shares.

"The purchasing power of foreign investors has a big impact on domestic investor
psychology and sets demand for certain securities, helping preserve a long-term
upward trend," said Phung Thanh Ha, head of the analysis department at Click&Phone
Securities.

But increasing fears for the stability of US financial institutions kept the
pressure on markets worldwide, and most Asian markets fell on Mar. 2 under the
pressure.

"The Index's upward trend won't last long this week," Ha said. "Rather, the market
is going to see a mix of ups and downs."

Meanwhile, increased buying activity in Hanoi on Mar. 2 could not keep the
HASTC-Index from losing additional ground, closing down a modest 0.43 percent to
83.6 despite foreigners being net-buyers of 154,700 shares.

Foreign investors were particularly active with Vinaconex Group (VCG), Vinashin
Petroleum Investment & Transport (VSP) and reinsurer VinaRe (VNR).

Volume at the Hanoi Securities Trading Centre fell 20.6 percent from Feb. 27 to
stay at 3.71 million shares, with a combined value of 65.19 billion VND (3.7
million USD). VCG was the most active share with 701,700 shares traded.-Enditem