Profit-taking hits share prices in HCM City The stock market last week witnessed profit-taking on the blue chips, as capital inflow into speculative stocks increased. On the HCM City Stock Exchange, the VN-Index closed the first trading week of the Year of the Horse 1.2 per cent lower to 549.76 points. However, the HNX-Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange rose slightly, by 0.8 per cent to 74.78 points. Last week, the market was open only on Thursday and Friday after the nine-day Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday. The trading volume on the southern bourse averaged 107.1 million, with the average trading value at VND1.944 trilion ($92.5 million). On Friday, liquidity topped VND2.37 trillion ($112.8 million) on the trading of 124 million shares, while the benchmark index lost 0.89 per cent. The profit-taking was strong on the blue chips last week, which included Masan Group (MSN), insurance company Bao Viet Group (BVH), real estate giant (VIC), Sacombank (STB) and Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAG), … [Read more...]
Valentine’s Day offers bouquet of options
VietNamNet Bridge – Businesses are gearing up for Valentine's Day which falls on Monday. The demand for flowers and gifts to express love will be higher than usual, says the managing director of The Gioi Hoa Tuoi (Flower World), Nguyen Thi Thuy Vu. "We don't have enough roses to meet demand," Vu said. The prices of flowers at gardens in Da Lat remain high, with a rose in HCM City selling for VND4,000-6,000, double the usual price. Prices are expected to rise to as high as VND10,000 (US$0.5) for a single rose this weekend. Meanwhile, shopping centres in HCM City are offering discounts and promotions to take advantage of the holiday buying. Co.op Mart's Qua tang Tinh yeu (Gift of Love) promotion features discounts of up to 40 per cent on chocolates, clothing, stuffed toys and decorative items. Duong Thi Quynh Trang, director of public relations for the French-owned supermarket chain Big C, said its Nhan Doi Hanh phuc (Double Happiness) … [Read more...]
HCM City gets ready for festive season
HCM City gets ready for festive season The HCM City Youth Cultural House is preparing to greet the Christmas and New Year festive season. Dozens of concerts, art exhibitions, circus and comedy shows will begin in early December. The festival week called Noel Ngot Ngao – Don Chao Nam Moi 2015 (Sweet Noel- Welcome A Happy New Year) will be held on December 24 through the first day of 2015, offering a programme of music, dance, comedy, circus and puppet shows. Young singers and comic artists will participate the event every night. A painting festival will begin this week to encourage hundreds of children and teenagers paint and make season greeting cards for their family, teachers and friends. The house will also host fashion show featuring fashion models and pop stars, who entertain the audience from an imposing stage with spectacular light and sound effects. More than 15,000 youngsters are expected to attend the house's festive activities. German electronic … [Read more...]