Vietnamese shares were mixed on the two local bourses this morning, even as insurance companies and banks made good gains.

The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange rose 0.9 per cent to close at 597.14 points and the HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange fell slightly to end at 80.23 points.

The insurance sector was the biggest gainer this morning as all companies in the industry saw gains.

Bao Viet Holdings (BVH) and BIDV Insurance Corp (BIC) jumped 5.2 per cent and 5.6 per cent, respectively, while Post-Telecommunication Joint Stock Insurance Corp (PTI) gained 1.4 per cent.

Among the banks, Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BID) advanced 4.2 per cent, Vietcombank (VCB) added 1.1 per cent and Vietinbank (CTG) increased 1.9 per cent.

The property sector was driven by Vingroup JSC (VIC), Phat Dat Real Estate JSC (PDR) and Kinh Bac City Development Share Holding Corp (KBC).

Hoang Anh Gia Lai JSC (HAG) and HAGL Agricultural JSC (HNG) continued to lift the agricultural sector.

Machinery producers and medical equipment providers, on the other hand, pulled the markets down.

Both local markets exchanged nearly 84.5 million shares worth VND1.4 trillion (US$62.4 million).

Source VNS