Half of the listed stocks on the HCM City market fell on Dec. 20, causing the VN-Index to fall 1.44 per cent to close at 478.29. Trading volume was 9.6 per cent lower than last Friday, with 67 million shares changing hands. Value remained brisk at VND1.6 trillion (US$76.2 million).

Among the 155 decliners, 15 stocks dropped to their floor prices, including property developer Vincom (VIC), down VND4,500; Bao Viet Holdings (BVH), down VND3,000; Dry Cell and Storage Battery (PAC), down VND2,500; Construction Company No.5 (SC5), down VND2,000; and Sacombank Securities (SBS), down VND1,600.
Some stocks managed an advance, including Tan Binh Import-Export (TIX) and Phu Nhuan Jewellery (PNJ), each up VND1,700; Savimex Economic Corporation and Import -Export (SAV), up VND1,300; Chuong Duong Beverage (SCD), up VND1,200 and Traphaco Pharmaceutical (TRA), up VND1,000.
In Ha Noi, the HNX-Index dropped 2.51 per cent to 116.70, with decliners outnumbering advancers by 218 to 88.
Volume totalled 47.2 million shares, worth VND920.4 billion ($43.8 million).
Several blue chips fell, including Kim Long Securities (KLS) and PetroVietnam Construction (PVX), each down VND100; PetroVietnam Insurance (PVI), down VND200; PVL, down VND600; and Asia Commercial Bank (ACB), down VND800.
Eight stocks hit their ceiling prices, with Lam Dong Foodstuff (VDL) achieving the highest increase of VND3,300; Viet Nam Construction-Import-Export (V21), rising VND1,700; Dzi An Manufacturing Public (DZM), rising VND1,600 and Dong Anh Ceramic (DAC), rising VND2,400.