Việt Nam’s stock market ended the session on May 30 in negative territory, weighed down by selling pressure, particularly from foreign investors. The benchmark VN-Index dropped by 9.26 points, or 0.69 per cent, to close at 1,332.6 points. Meanwhile, the HNX-Index lost 1.08 points to settle at 223.22.

The market experienced strong fluctuations throughout the day. VN-Index opened in the green but quickly reversed course as selling intensified, especially in the afternoon session. Although liquidity improved slightly compared to the previous day, capital flow remained highly selective, with a clear sector rotation, reflecting continued investor caution.

Total trading value on the Hochiminh Stock Exchange (HoSE) reached VNĐ22.33 trillion, including VNĐ20.79 trillion matched orders — up 3 per cent from the previous session.

Within the VN30 basket, declines dominated with 25 stocks falling and only four advancing.

Mobile World Investment Corporation (MWG) dropped by 3.42 per cent, erasing 0.76 points from the VN-Index. VietinBank (CTG) and BIDV (BID) each shaved nearly 0.8 points from the benchmark.

Textile and seafood stocks also declined sharply, with HTG down 2.89 per cent, TCM falling 2.75 per cent, VHC retreating 3.8 per cent, and FMC dropping 1.8 per cent. Meanwhile, the seaport and maritime logistics group continued to correct, with HAH down 2.99 per cent, PHP down 2.6 per cent, and VSC falling 2.5 per cent.

On the upside, several stocks in the steel and securities sectors helped narrow the market’s losses. Hòa Phát Group (HPG) gained 0.8 per cent, NKG rose 1.5 per cent, and VGS advanced 1.15 per cent. In the securities sector, EVS hit the ceiling price, CTS added 4.13 per cent, and APG gained 2.54 per cent, contributing positively to market sentiment.

Foreign investors extended their net selling streak to six sessions, offloading nearly VNĐ1.1 trillion worth of stocks on HoSE. HPG faced the most pressure, with net sales of VNĐ188 billion, followed by MWG and Sacombank (STB), both with over VNĐ100 billion in net outflows. On the other hand, Novaland (NVL) led the net buying side with VNĐ220 billion, followed by Vingroup (VIC) with VNĐ81 billion.

Nevertheless, in aggregate, foreign investors remained net buyers for the month of May, with net inflows exceeding VNĐ5 trillion as of mid-month. Analysts noted this as a potential sign of positioning ahead of Việt Nam’s anticipated market upgrade, which could attract significant passive inflows from ETFs and benchmark indices such as the MSCI Emerging Markets and FTSE EM Index over the next 6 to 12 months.

To realise an upgrade, Việt Nam will need to continue removing key bottlenecks, including easing foreign ownership limits, implementing same-day settlement (T+0), rolling out omnibus accounts, and expanding the derivatives market.

Additionally, the expected listing wave of large-scale enterprises with combined assets of up to US$47 billion — including Vinpearl, TCBS, Highlands Coffee, VNPay, and Bách Hóa Xanh — promises to offer fresh appeal for long-term institutional capital. — VNS