Vietnam Insight

Trump administration signaled it is considering several options to address the recent price spike. US stock futures stabilized on Friday after Wall Street came under renewed pressure in the previous session, as investors grappled with uncertainty surrounding the Iran war and surging oil prices. In regular trading on Thursday, the Dow dropped 1.61%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite lost 0.56% and 0.26%, respectively. Eight of the 11 S&P sectors ended lower, with consumer staples, materials, and industrials leading the declines. Caterpillar fell 3.6%, while GE Aerospace dropped 3.4% as investors priced in the risk of supply chain disruptions and potential margin compression. Oil prices rallied more than 8% on Thursday and were headed for their biggest weekly gain since 2022, though they pulled back early on Friday after the Trump administration signaled it is considering several options to address the recent price spike. Investors now look ahead to the February jobs report due later today for further clues on the health of the US labor market.

Retesting the support at 1,820 points. The VN-Index closed at 1,808.51 points (down 9.76 points, or 0.54%), with liquidity remaining high compared to the 20-day average. The market saw 153 gainers and 185 losers. The primary stocks driving the index's correction were GAS, MCH, and GVR, while VIC, VHM, and VPL provided upward support. Foreign investors recorded a net selling value of 3,124 billion VND, with heavy concentration on FPT, HPG, and VHM. Selling pressure was strong across most sectors.

Trading Strategy: Medium- to long-term investors may consider accumulating stocks that have not yet risen significantly and are forming tight consolidation bases. However, as the index has already rallied strongly and is approaching higher resistance levels, it is preferable to hold existing positions and be ready to take short-term profits rather than initiate new buys, particularly for stocks that move in line with the broader market. For short-term investors, it may be prudent to stay on the sidelines and observe, given that geopolitical risks remain relatively difficult to predict.