Market overview before the session
The 19/08 session is likely to open on a positive note, with the VN-Index standing at 1732.0 points, up 0.3% from the reference level. The biggest driver comes from Brent crude prices rising above 91.0 USD per barrel, which continues to lift expectations for the oil and gas sector after the strong breakout of PLX and the spillover effect into GAS, PVD, and PVS.
Technical developments suggest the market is still holding its upward momentum, but breadth may continue to diverge as the index approaches the near-term resistance zone of 1740.0–1745.0. The nearby support zone to watch is 1720.0–1725.0. If buying demand holds up early in the session, the likelihood of testing higher levels will increase; conversely, a shake-out could emerge as the index nears its short-term peak.
Highlights from the previous session
Among large-cap stocks, gains were fairly broad on HOSE, led by names such as CMV up 6.9%, PLX up 6.9%, HAS up 6.9%, CLW up 6.8%, and SVD up 6.8%. On the other side, several stocks saw sharp declines, including FDC down 7.0%, ABR down 6.9%, STG down 6.9%, GTA down 6.9%, and DRH down 6.7%.
Liquidity on HOSE remained concentrated in large-cap stocks, with SHB trading 51,274,900 shares, followed by VIX with 31,108,300 shares, BSR with 20,592,500, VPB with 18,835,800, and HPG with 16,367,500. Such cash flow indicates that risk appetite is still present, but it is tilting toward selective moves rather than broad-based spreading.
Notable stock groups
The focus of the coming session will almost certainly remain on oil and gas. The jump in international oil prices is giving this group an edge, especially since PLX just ranked among the strongest gainers on HOSE in the previous session. Even so, the strength of cash flow is no longer "across the board," and tends to concentrate on stocks with their own stories and solid technical signals.
On HNX, the market also maintained a positive tone, with the HNXINDEX at 282.3 points, up 1.3%. Strong gainers included STC up 9.8%, SMT up 9.7%, MAC up 9.6%, BAX up 9.6%, and STP up 9.6%. On UPCOM, the gains were more striking, with DNN up 39.3%, SPV up 15.0%, RTB up 15.0%, BCP up 14.9%, and HPB up 14.8%.
Analysis based on technical signals
The technical signal list continues to show several stocks holding notably high composite scores. Leading the pack is AIG with 89.4 points, followed by SJG at 83.6 points and IDP at 81.6 points. This group shows that price trends still have solid support, making them suitable for monitoring as cash flow favors stocks with clear technical structures.
Besides that, VLB at 80.2 points and VIM at 80.0 points are also noteworthy, but note that they are moving closer to the sensitive zone of the uptrend. Meanwhile, stocks such as TVS at 75.7 points, HDA at 73.3 points, and CLW at 72.2 points remain in the actively monitored group.
Outlook for the 19/08 Session
The most likely scenario for the morning session is a positive market open, driven by the oil and gas sector and several stocks with strong technical signals, followed by a quick shift to a divergent trend. If liquidity does not expand further, trading ranges are likely to gradually narrow as the index approaches the resistance zone of 1740.0–1745.0. Conversely, if buying demand is strong enough to absorb supply, the market may continue to consolidate its short-term uptrend.
Given the current context, investors should closely watch the index's reaction around the support zone of 1720.0–1725.0 and whether the oil and gas sector's rally spreads to related stocks. Overbought stocks such as PPP and VLB should be monitored more cautiously, as the risk of a pullback may increase as the market moves deeper into the resistance zone.