The index closed 12.02 points lower after gaining 5.42 points in the previous session.
Trading on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange increased by 14% to VND13.963 trillion (US$551.6 million).
The VN-30 basket, comprising the 30 largest capped stocks, saw 25 tickers fell.
FPT of IT giant FPT Corporation saw the biggest drop of 5.1%, followed by VNM of dairy giant Vinamilk with a 2.73% decline and VIB of Vietnam International Commercial Bank, down 2.66%.
Four blue chips gained. GVR of Vietnam Rubber Group rose 1.6%, SHB of Saigon Hanoi Commercial Bank went up 1.5%, and BCM of Becamex Investment and Industrial Development gained 1.0%
Foreign investors were net seller to the tune of VND1.46 trillion, mainly selling FPT and VNM.
The HNX-Index for stocks on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps, rose 0.21%, while the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market went up 0.22%.
Globally, European shares slid on Monday, joining a worldwide selloff sparked by fears that U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China mark an opening salvo in a global trade war that would curb economic growth internationally, Reuters reported.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down 1.3%, set for its biggest one-day slide this year.
Futures for Wall Street’s S&P 500 also fell 1.4%, while those on the tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 1.6%. Futures on the Russell 2000 index of small cap stocks – viewed as major beneficiaries of Trump’s policies – fell 2.3%.
Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 1.5%, while the pound dropped 0.7% after Trump told reporters on Sunday that while the country was “out of line” when it came to trade, it may be able to avoid tariffs.
Japan’s Nikkei share average ended the day down almost 3% and Australia’s benchmark – often a proxy trade for Chinese markets – dropped 1.8%.
Stocks in Hong Kong, which include listings of Chinese companies, finished flat upon reopening from Lunar New Year holidays. Mainland Chinese markets resume trading on Wednesday.
