The index fluctuated in the 1,190 range throughout the day before closing with a marginal 0.03 percent gain. This is its second session ending on 1,194.

Trading value on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), on which the index is based, fell 8 percent to VND15.8 trillion ($684 million). The bourse saw 180 stocks gain and 274 lose.

The VN30 basket, which comprises the 30 largest capped stocks, saw 12 winners and 18 losers.

VCB of state-owned lender Vietcombank was the leading gainer with a 3 percent rise, its highest increase in a day since Feb. 9.

The gain stirs hope for a recovery of the ticker after experiencing a mostly downward trend since hitting this year’s peak on Jan. 7, having lost over 9 percent since.

NVL of Novaland Group followed with a 2.3 percent rise, its highest increase in a day since Feb. 3. The ticker has proceeded sideways throughout this month, struggling to break its all-time peak in early February.

SBT of sugar producer Thanh Thanh Cong- Bien Hoa JSC was the third biggest gainer, up 2.2 percent. The ticker has gained nearly 40 percent since this year’s bottom in early February.

On the losing side, three banks led with STB of Ho Chi Minh City-based lender Sacombank down 2 percent, MBB of Military Bank down 1.9 percent and TCB of the largest private lender Techcombank down 1.7 percent.

Foreign investors were net sellers for the 21st session in a row to the tune of VND467 billion, down 58 percent.

Selling pressure was strongest on VNM of dairy giant Vinamilk, CTG of state-owned lender VietinBank and HPG of steelmaker Hoa Phat Group.

The HNX-Index for stocks on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps, fell 1.03 percent, while the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market dropped 0.25 percent.