Hanoi (VNA) - The positive 2016 earning reports of over 90 percent of nearly 600listed companies on the two national stock exchanges are providing a freshimpetus for the market.

Bankswere reported the biggest gainers as profits of the total nine listed lenders accountedfor about 25 percent of total profits on the two exchanges.

Vietcombank(VCB), Vietinbank (CTG) and BIDV (BID), the three biggest listed lenders bymarket value, were also the most profitable.

BothVietcombank and Vietinbank reported net profits of over 6.8 trillion VND (298million USD) in 2016 (leaving out business results of their member andaffiliate companies). BIDV followed with an after-tax profit of almost 6.2trillion VND.

MilitaryBank (MBB) and Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) earned 2.9 trillion VND and 1.3trillion VND in net profits, respectively.

The foodand beverage industry also disclosed big profits.

Dairygiant Vinamilk (VNM) posted net profits of nearly 9.4 trillion VND, a yearlygrowth of 21 percent making it the biggest 2016 earner. Its total revenuesreached 46.8 trillion VND while the company’s charter capital reached 15.5trillion VND.

After twomonths of listing on the southern exchange, Sabeco (SAB), the country’s biggestbrewery company, boasted a net profit of nearly 4.5 trillion VND, 22 percenthigher than its yearly target. Its share price doubled the debut day to touch 215,400VND a share on February 16, being the most expensive nationwide.

In termsof growth rate, steelmaking and real estate companies were the leaders thanksto strong recovery of the real estate market in the last quarter of 2016.

PominaSteel Corp (POM) made a net profit of 301 billion VND, an 11-fold increase overthe previous year. Nam Kim Steel (NKG) and Hoa Sen Group (HSG) also reportedyearly growth of 312 percent and 130 percent, respectively.

Hoa PhatGroup (HPG) posted a record profit of 6.6 trillion VND, up 89 percentyear-on-year and double its yearly target.

Hoa BinhConstruction & Real Estate Corp (HBC) saw its profits rise 585 percentyear-on-year to 490 billion VND, while Novaland Investment Group (NVL) earningsjumped 274 percent to nearly 1.7 trillion VND.

In theoil and gas industry, the biggest listed stock PV Gas (GAS) reported a netearning of nearly 7.1 trillion VND, the second biggest earner in 2016 afterVinamilk, but this number was 17 percent lower than its 2015 result.

“These impressive figures are creating new energy for the market to grow,” NguyenDuc Hung Linh, head of analysis and investment consultancy for Saigon SecuritiesInc, told the Finance-Business News on VTV1 channel.

Thebenchmark VN-Index on the HCM Stock Exchange stepped over the resistance 710points on February 15, the highest since February 21, 2008 and a rally of over7 percent compared to December 30, 2016.

In 2017,analysts suggest investors pay attention to the stocks which may benefit fromGovernment policies.

“Investorscan consider the businesses or industries benefiting from policy as thesecompanies often have outstanding business results,” Linh said and noted theexample of construction and real estate firms, which have picked up in the pasttwo years thanks to policy support.

Thecurrent policy focuses on infrastructure development in order to lay a solidfoundation for economic growth in the coming years and this could be afavourable condition for the strong growth of the real estate sector, he said.-VNA