A computer screen displays stock information. The VN-Index of the Hochiminh Stock Exchange closed up 2.57 points, or 0.19%, at 1,362.43 today, August 10 - PHOTO: VNA

HCMC - The VN-Index of the Hochiminh Stock Exchange extended its growth and closed up 2.57 points, or 0.19%, at 1,362.43 today, August 10, mainly buoyed by strong cash flow into bluechips.

The southern bourse saw 217 stocks winning and 157 others losing. Trade volume totaled 716.5 million shares worth VND23 trillion changing hands, up over 4% in volume and some 2% in value, from the previous session. Over 38.5 million shares valued at VND1.9 trillion were traded in block deals.

Many bluechips ended in positive territory, with gas firm GAS jumping by 3.2% and dairy processor VNM gaining 1.9%.

Electricity firm POW, lenders VCB, BID and CTG, tech firm FPT and brokerage firm SSI also posted gains.

Lender STB lost 0.33%, but took the lead on the southern bourse by liquidity with over 24.3 million shares changing hands, followed by steelmaker HPG with a matching volume of over 23 million shares.

Many shipping firms such as HAH, STG, VNL, MHC and VOS hit their ceiling prices, and some fertilizer stocks such as SFG, DPM and DCM also made a strong rise.

Under selling pressure, many real estate stocks, including DIG, KBC, FLC, SCR, DLG, HQC and IJC, ended in the red, but reported a high matching volume of 6.7 to 14.7 million shares each.

At the close, the HNX-Index of the Hanoi Stock Exchange advanced 4.4 points, or 1.33%, from the day earlier, at 334.08, supported by the gain of largecaps.

Petroleum stock PVS stole the limelight for expanding 7.5% and saw over 23 million shares change hands.

Lender SHB continued its upward spiral and was the most actively traded stock on the northern bourse with a matching volume of over 28 million shares.

Other good performers were securities company SHS, bank stocks BAB and NVB, mining enterprise NBC and investment company THD.