A modern Vinamilk (VNM) production line, with an annual capacity of 800 million litres. VNM rose 2.08 per cent on Friday.- Photo Vinamilk

On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the VN-Index increased 0.11 per cent, to end at 1,198.90 points.

It had decreased 1.68 per cent, to end Thursday at 1,197.60 points.

More than 534 million shares were traded on the southern bourse, equivalent to VND11.4 trillion (US$489 million).

Market breadth was neutral with 243 losers and 210 gainers.

Securities stocks made strong gains, with gainers including Viet Capital Inc (VCI) and Ho Chi Minh Securities Corp (HCM). Both of them were pulled to the ceiling price. VNDirect (VND) increased by 6.3 per cent and SSI Securities Inc (SSI) rose by 4.8 per cent.

Banking stocks also attracted cash flow with gainers including Military Bank (MBB), Techcombank (TCB), Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BID), VietinBank (CTG), Viet Nam International Commercial JS Bank (VIB), Saigon-Hanoi Commercial JS Bank (SHB), Tien Phong Bank (TPB).

Energy stocks differentiated with gainers such as Viet Nam National Petroleum Group (PLX), PetroVietnam Technical Services Corporation (PVS), PetroVietnam Drilling and Well Services Corporation (PVD) and Drilling Mud Joint Stock Corporation (PVC).

Meanwhile, losers were Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (BSR) and PetroVietnam Gas JSC (GAS).

The 30 biggest stock tracker VN30-Index increased 0.27 per cent, to end at 1,252.24 points.

Gainers in the VN-30 group were FPT Corporation (FPT), Phat Dat Real Estate (PDR), Vietjet (VJC), Vinamilk (VNM), Vincom Retail (VRE) and Hoa Phat Group (HPG).

In the basket, 10 stocks climbed, two ended flat and 10 dropped.

On a sector basis, 14 out of 25 sector indices on the stock market gained ground, including wholesale, insurance, securities, IT, mining, banking, agriculture, rubber production, construction materials, logistics and spare parts.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX), the HNX-Index rose 0.43 per cent to end Friday at 278.88 points.

The northern market index had lost 1.65 per cent to end Thursday at 277.68 points.

Some 73.9 million shares were traded on the northern exchange, worth VND1.3 trillion.