The index stayed above the opening level throughout the morning but started to drift into the red in the afternoon before closing with a near 4-point loss.

Trading value on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), on which the index is based, surged 19.7 percent to VND23.03 trillion ($1.01 billion), highest in four sessions.

The VN30 basket, comprising the 30 largest capped stocks, saw 21 tickers in the red, led by GVR of Vietnam Rubber Group with a 4.1 percent drop.

HDB of HDBank lost 2.7 percent for the third session in a row.

BVH of insurance company Bao Viet Holdings fell 2.5 percent.

PDR of Phat Dat Real Estate Development lost 2.2 percent and PNJ of Phu Nhuan Jewelry fell 2.1 percent.

On the other side, SAB of brewer Sabeco rose 6.7 percent, while MWG of electronics retail chain Mobile World gained 5.1 percent to a new peak.

Foreign investors were net sellers for the 12th session in a row to the tune of VND431 billion, with strongest pressure on VIC of biggest private conglomerate Vingroup and VHM of real estate giant Vinhomes.

The HNX-Index for stocks on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps, fell 0.29 percent while the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market lost 0.16 percent.