HCMC - Impressive performance of many stocks sent the VN-Index of the Hochiminh Stock Exchange up slightly to close at 1,297.54 points, ending its five-day losing streak today, July 13.

Market breadth turned positive as winning stocks outnumbered losers by 265 to 112. The main index inched up 1.24 points, or 0.1%, from the session earlier.

Trade volume totaled some 540 million shares worth VND15.9 trillion, dipping by 44% in volume and 50% in value against the previous session. In block deals, over 39 million shares valued at VND1.6 trillion were transacted.

In the bluechip group, sugar maker SBT hit its ceiling price at the close, while financial service provider TCH reversed course to end up 4.8%.

Many other best performers were gas firm GAS, brokerage stock SSI, electricity firm POW, retailer VRE and petroleum stock PLX.

Several small and medium stocks were cash magnets, with property developer FLC closing the day at its ceiling price and leading the southern bourse by liquidity with over 30 million shares changing hands.

Construction firm ROS, mining firm AMD and agricultural firm HAI also shot up to their upper limits and reported a matching volume of 23.4 million shares, 3.7 million shares and 3.3 million shares, respectively.

Lender VCB and property firm VIC were the worst performers on the southern bourse.

On the northern bourse, the HNX-Index improved 3.72 points, or 1.27%, from the day earlier, at 296.7 as many large caps gained steam.

Lender SHB closed the day up 2.5% and was the most actively traded stock on the northern market with some 22 million shares traded.

Oil and gas stock PVS, property firm CEO, medical firm AMV and fertilizer firm LAS made a strong rise.