The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange edged down 0.96 per cent to close at 1.099,69 points. It had edged down 0.02 per cent to close at 1,110.36 points on Wednesday.

The minor HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange dropped 1.69 per cent to end at 123.77 points.

The northern market index dropped 1.15 per cent to end at 125.90 points on Wednesday.

Nearly 249.51 million shares, worth more than VNĐ5.7 trillion (US$251.8 million), were traded on the two local exchanges.

Declining stocks outnumbered the gaining ones by 316 to 121, while 107 other stocks ended flat.

Large-cap stocks underperformed, as 22 of the 30 largest stocks by market capitalisation in the VN30 Index suffered, pulling the large-cap index down 0.97 per cent to 1,085.30 points.

Among the worst decliners of the energy sector were PetroVietnam Gas Joint Stock Corporation (GAS), PetroVietnam Technical Services Corporation (PVS) and PetroVietnam Drilling Mud Joint Stock Corporation (PVD), down 1.28, 6.92 and 7.25 per cent, respectively.