Vietnam index up 0.7 pct at midday on home loans plan

    HANOI, March 24 (Reuters) - Vietnam's benchmark VN Index 
   climbed 0.7 percent at the break on Monday, lifted by 
news that a credit package aimed at boosting the country's 
ailing real estate market would soon be released. 
    The Vietnam Construction Bank would issue a loan package 
worth 50 trillion dong ($2.4 billion) to support property 
buying, renovations and related businesses like construction 
materials, housewares and furniture, state media reported on 
Sunday. 
    "This news boosted the sentiment, lifting most stocks on the 
market, especially those of small and troubled property firms," 
said Nguyen Tuan of An Binh Securities. 
    The banking sector led gains, with Vietcombank   , the 
country's biggest listed lender, rising 2.25 percent and Ho Chi 
Minh City-based Sacombank    climbing 4 percent. 
    However, major real estate stocks including Vingroup 
   and HAGL    fell in the morning session. 
    The index might see corrections this week as selling, 
especially that of foreign investors, was expected to increase, 
Tuan said. Foreigners have been net sellers this month at a net 
trading value of 976 billion dong. They have been net buyers 
since September last year, exchange data showed. 
    Here is a snapshot of the VN Index    at midday (0431 
GMT). 
                 VN Index       605.95            
              PREV. CLOSE       601.75            
                 % CHANGE        0.70%            
                                                  
                     HIGH        609.2            
                      LOW       604.18            
                                                  
        Change (%) 1-mnth        5.465            
        Change (%) 3-mnth       19.288            
        Change (%) 1-year       22.359            
                                                  
             52-week high       608.51  20-Mar-14 
             52-week low        462.13  30-Aug-13 
 ($1=21,075 dong) 
 
 (Reporting by Mai Nguyen; Editing by Martin Petty) 
 ((mai.nguyen@thomsonreuters.com)(+844 3825 9623)) 
 
Keywords: MARKETS VIETNAM/STOCKS