Hanoi (VNA)𒀰 – The net sale of shares worth 1.25 trillion VND (56.2 million USD) by foreign investors in January contributed significantly to the decline of the stock market last month, data collected by two local bourses.

At the end of January, the VN-Index fell 33.78 points, or 5.8 percent, to touch 545.25 points on the HCM Stock Exchange (HoSE), while the HNX-Index declined 3.09 points, or 3.9 percent, to reach 76.87 points on the northern bourse of the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX). While the two bourses recorded the purchase of 201.2 million shares by foreigners, worth more than 5.22 trillion VND (234.1 million USD), they also reported the sale of 228.28 million shares, worth more than 6.48 trillion VND (290.3 million USD), by foreign investors. Thus, foreign investors sold a net 27 million shares, worth 1.25 trillion VND (56.2 million USD), in January. Foreign investors conducted net sales on HoSE for three consecutive months. Their net sale value in January was 34.6 percent lower than in December, reaching 1.305 trillion VND (58.4 million USD), or 32.4 million shares. Foreign investors also bought nearly 167 million shares and sold more than 199.4 million shares in January. The purchase value reached more than 4.791 trillion VND (214.5 million USD), while the sale value reached 6.097 trillion VND (273 million USD). In the last three months, foreign investors made net sales worth 3.794 trillion VND (169.9 million USD) on the southern bourse. In particular, the shares of Vingroup (VIC) topped the sale list, with 21 million shares being sold for more than 1 trillion VND (44.7 million USD). It was the 11th consecutive month that VIC shares were sold. Then, 6.88 million shares of HoaPhat Group (HPG) were sold for 175.7 billion VND (7.8 million USD) and 14 million shares of Hoang AnhGia Lai Group (HAG) were sold for 122 billion VND (5.4 million USD) in January. EIB shares and CII shares, on the contrary, were purchased on HoSE, for 147 billion VND (6.58 million USD) and 115 billion VND (5.1 million USD) respectively. However, foreign investors were net buyers on HNX in January, purchasing more than 5.4 million shares, worth 49 billion VND (2.19 million USD). Foreigners bought 34.3 million shares, worth 436.4 billion VND (19.5 million USD), and sold 28.8 million shares, worth 378 billion VND (16.9 million USD), on HNX last month. Also on HNX, foreign investors sold 2.36 million DBC shares for more than 62.5 billion VND (2.8 million USD), and 3.86 million PVS shares for more than 51.3 billion VND (2.3 million USD). Meanwhile, the maximum shares bought were of PLC, worth more than 25 billion VND (1.1 million USD), followed by IVS and CEO, worth 22.6 billion VND (more than 1 million USD) and 18.2 billion VND (815,000 USD), respectively. Ban Viet Securities Company VCSC forecast on February 2 that there would be more selling in early February by investors because of the long Lunar New Year festival holiday.-VNA