An investor looks at stock prices on a smartphone at a
brokerage in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Vietnam’s benchmark VN-Index rose 0.49 percent to 1,372.73 points Friday, its fifth straight session in the green, as market sentiment was lifted with reopening news.

The index was in the green the whole day and rose nearly 7 points. It has gained a total 38 points this week.

Resuming economic activities in HCMC and Hanoi, along with rising vaccination rates seemed to have stirred up hope among investors after the index went sideways for nearly a month due to lack of supporting information.

But trading value on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), on which the index is based, fell to VND17.96 trillion, lowest in six sessions.

The VN30 basket, comprising the 30 largest capped stocks, saw 24 tickers in the green, led by FPT of IT giant FPT Corporation with a 4.9 percent increase.

The rise brought the ticker to a new peak, having gained nearly 97 percent this year.

KDH of real estate firm Khang Dien House rose 2.8 percent, while MSN of conglomerate Masan Group gained 2.7 percent.

PNJ of Phu Nhuan Jewelry and SAB of brewer Sabeco both rose 2.6 percent.

Six blue chip tickers ended in the red, led by POW of electricity producer Petrovietnam Power Corporation with a 1.6 percent drop.

GVR of Vietnam Rubber Group fell 1.4 percent, with BVH of insurance company Bao Viet Holdings losing 1.1 percent.

Foreign investors were net sellers for the third session in a row to the tune of VND131 billion, with strongest pressure on HPG of steelmaker Hoa Phat Group and VNM of dairy giant Vinamilk.

The HNX-Index for stocks on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps, rose 0.41 percent while the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market gained 0.35 percent.