Shares started this morning's session in the green on the HCM City Stock Exchange but gradually declined during a sluggish session of trading.

The VN-Index rose to 391 points before falling to 388.27 points by the end, down 0.02 per cent on yesterday's close.

Only 18 million shares, worth more than VND431 billion (US$20.5 million), changed hands this morning.

Market conditions were slightly negative as 100 codes shed value, 82 increased and 127 remained flat.

Blue chips slumped, while the VN30, tracking the top 30 shares on the southern bourse, followed suit falling 0.16 per cent to 453.23 points.

Only the insurer Bao Viet Holdings (BVH) and property developer Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAG) hit the ceiling price while the majority of large-cap shares lost value.

Investors continued to offload shares of Tan Tao Investment Industry (ITA), driving its shares to be the most active on the bourse with nearly 1.5 million shares changing hands. ITA fell for a fourth straight day, closing 2 per cent down at just VND5,000 a share.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index slid another 0.68 per cent, its fourth consecutive falling day also, to 57.03 points on draining value of just VND71.7 billion ($3.4 million).

Losers outnumbered gainers by 109-49.

PetroVietnam Construction (PVX) was again the most active stock with total trades of 2.3 million shares, shedding another 3.9 per cent to finish at VND4,900 a share