Foreign investors post strongest net selling in the past half-month, weighing on stocks

Foreign investors returned to net selling, totaling nearly 1.6 trillion VND— the highest level in the past half-month—putting pressure on Vietnam’s stock market to fall by about 11 points. After a 15-session net selling streak was halted yesterday, foreign flows were again negative today, with selling accelerating in the afternoon.

Foreign selling drives market decline

Foreign investors recorded net selling of more than 792 billion VND in the morning before the lunch break. In the afternoon, selling pressure intensified, bringing the session’s total net selling value to about 1.571 trillion VND on the HoSE exchange, the highest in the past half month.

Seven stocks were net sold by foreign investors at over 100 billion VND each: VHM, HPG, MWG, VPB, HDB, FPT and VCB. In contrast, no stock saw foreign net buying above 100 billion VND.

Liquidity weakens as selling pressure rises

Alongside the foreign outflows, liquidity declined. HoSE’s total trading value exceeded 21.1 trillion VND, down about 6.2 trillion VND compared with the previous session.

Market breadth also deteriorated: across the HoSE board, 233 stocks declined, far outnumbering those that rose. The VN-Index closed above 1,684 points, down nearly 11 points from yesterday.

Sector and heavyweight impact

Excluding insurance, oil & gas, and real estate, other sectors posted negative sector indices. Heavyweight names contributed to the downside, led by HPG and banking stocks including BID, TCB, VCB, CTG, VPB and MBB.

Brokerage views: cautious positioning amid risks

Shinhan Securities (SSV) said the market is moving within a narrow range with thinning liquidity, reflecting cautious sentiment on both sides. SSV noted that this outlook appears reasonable given ongoing geopolitical risks and elevated oil prices. The firm suggested investors could deploy gradually on pullbacks, but advised maintaining stock exposure at a moderate level to control portfolio risk.

Saigon-Hanoi Securities (SHS) said it is currently difficult to identify strong growth opportunities amid multiple risk factors. SHS maintains a neutral stance, while considering value-investing opportunities in quality firms with high dividend yields. The brokerage recommends maintaining balanced weighting and focusing on companies with solid fundamentals, leadership in strategic sectors, and stronger growth prospects in the economy.