An investor monitors the stock market. — Photo baotintuc.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese stock market paused its upward momentum on Friday as selling pressure returned in the afternoon session, led by real estate stocks and a shift in sentiment from foreign investors.

The VN-Index initially opened in positive territory, gaining 5–6 points in the morning. However, weak buying demand and the absence of strong sectoral leadership saw the benchmark fluctuate around the reference level. By 2pm, the index turned consistently red, dragged down by broad-based selling. It closed at 1,267.3 points, down 2.5 points from the previous session.

On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), market breadth was slightly negative, with 174 decliners outweighing 136 gainers. Despite the downturn, five stocks hit their daily ceiling price, including PET, ITC, QCG, KHP, TN1, and QNP — most of which had relatively low liquidity.

The real estate sector underperformed notably. Vingroup Joint Stock Company (VIC) fell 2.5 per cent after surging to the ceiling in the previous session. With a trading value of nearly VNĐ549 billion, it ranked fourth by liquidity and was the stock with the most negative impact on the VN-Index.

Other property stocks such as Novaland (NVL) and TCH slid by 2.4 per cent and 2.8 per cent, respectively, while VCG, KBC, VPI, DIG, and IDC dropped around one per cent. Nevertheless, some counters bucked the trend, including CII, DXG, PDR and NLG, which posted modest gains.

Market liquidity declined alongside the index. Total trading value on HoSE reached VNĐ17.3 trillion (US$664.6 million), down over VNĐ1.8 trillion compared to the previous session.

Foreign investors returned to net selling after four consecutive sessions of net buying, offloading approximately VNĐ88 billion worth of shares.

After a long holiday break, the market had seen a positive tone supported by upbeat Q1 earnings reports and hopes for easing global trade tensions. However, trading value remained below the $1 billion threshold, reflecting lingering caution among domestic investors.

Earlier this week, analysts at Saigon – Hanoi Securities (SHS) observed that the market had rebounded to the price zone seen during the session when tariff tensions were first announced. They argued that current levels are not attractive for aggressive buying and suggested selective positioning based on earnings prospects.

SHS advised investors to maintain a balanced portfolio. "Investment focus should remain on stocks with strong fundamentals, leaders in strategic sectors, and those aligned with Việt Nam’s long-term growth trajectory," they noted. — VNS