Vietnamese shares extended their losses in the early session, led by brokerage firms.

The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange inched down 0.1 per cent to close at 659.48 points.

The HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange fell another 1.1 per cent to end at 84.54 points.

Brokerage was the worst-hit sector in the morning.

Sai Gon Securities Inc (SSI), Sai Gon-Ha Noi Securities Corp (SHS) and VNDirect Securities Corp (VND) lost between 1.5 per cent and 2.2 per cent.

The Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Viet Nam (VCB), Sai Gon-Ha Noi Bank (SHB) and Viet Nam Export Import Commercial Joint Stock Bank (EIB) weighed on the banking sector.

VCB dropped 2.7 per cent, SHB slid 1.6 per cent and EIB was down 1.7 per cent.

On the positive side, property developers helped markets to avoid further losses.

Vingroup JSC (VIC) rose one per cent, Simco Song Da JSC (SDA) surged 5.7 per cent and Nam Long Investment Corp (NLG) increased by 1.4 per cent.

Investors traded more than 88 million shares, worth VND1.65 trillion (US$73.3 million).

Source VNS