Vietnam’s benchmark VN Index edged up 0.6 per cent by midday on Friday in low volume, with demand for banking and insurance stocks giving a boost to the market.
The index was at 556.23 at the close of the morning session, just below the intraday high of 556.36, while volumes stood at 38.14 million shares, compared with the five-day average of 85.41 million, based on Reuters data.
Four of the six listed banks gained, led by Vietcombank that rose 3.72 per cent, and investors also sought stocks of Baoviet Holdings, boosting the share by 1.47 per cent by midday.
Military Bank stood unchanged and Eximbank fell 1.59 per cent, after the central bank allowed the dong to fall 1 per cent against the dollar on Thursday, the second depreciation this year.