Vietnam index falls 0.6 percent

Vietnam's benchmark VN Index closed down 0.6 percent on Friday on profit-taking, with volume hitting its highest in one-and-a-half years as two exchange traded funds (ETFs) ended their quarterly portfolio restructuring. Trading volume hit 226 million, its highest since September 9, 2014, boosted by trading of Market Vectors Vietnam ETF and db x-trackers FTSE Vietnam ETF, two major ETFs holding Vietnamese shares. Most shares lost ground, after the index closed at its highest level since December 30 last year on Thursday, led down by property and retail firm Vingroup with a 2 percent fall and PetroVietnam Gas with a 1.5 percent decline.