The move to allow foreign shareholdings of up to 100 percent in some firms, versus the previous 49 percent ceiling, is one of the most liberal measures yet adopted as Vietnam pursues broad economic reform. Five of the six listed banks rose, including Vietcombank, the country's biggest lender by market value, with a 0.47-percent rally, and BIDV that gained 1.29 percent.

Vietnam's stock market is the sole gainer in the Southeast Asia so far this year, having risen nearly 4 percent, Thomson Reuters data showed.

567.04

PREV. CLOSE      

564.75

% CHANGE      

+0.41%

HIGH      

569.18

LOW      

562.17

Change (%) 1-mnth      

-9.067            

Change (%) 3-mnth      

-0.845            

Change (%) 1-year     

-11.294

52-week high      

644.56    

3-Sep-14

52-week low       

511.13   

25-Aug-15