Vietnam Access Day back to lure more foreign capital

Vietnam Access Day 2014 - Photo Le Toan

Built on its first-time success in 2012, the event included sections providing insightful information, person-to-person meetings and outlet and factory site tours.

“We hope that through Vietnam Access Day 2014, international investors will be provided with a complete panorama of the Vietnamese economy, as well as detailed information on the areas in which they are interested,” said Viet Capital Securities CEO To Hai.

The company and Viet Capital Bank, which are under one roof Viet Capital, co-organised the high-profiled event.

Vietnam Access Day 2014 - Photo Le Toan

After the opening section, Nguyen Xuan Thanh, director of the Fulbright Economics Teaching Programme, presented a deep analysis of the Vietnamese economy, followed by Baker & McKenzie principal Frederick Burke’s updates on Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, as well as what Vietnam can benefit from the trade agreement, or hurt by it.

Henry B. Nguyen, McDonald’s Vietnam CEO, helped the participants know what are happening in the market related to McDonald’s first foray into Vietnam earlier this year, as well as his eagerness to open hundreds of McDonald’s restaurants in the years to come.

Ralf Matthaes, Managing Director of Taylor Nelson Sofres Market Research, provided an insightful presentation on Vietnamese consumer habits to help investors know more about the current consumption trends.

Vietnam Access Day 2014 - Photo Le Toan

On the agenda are also discussions on particular issues, with a view to bringing investors an understanding of sectors which have attracted attention, such as retail, information technology and communications, banking, real estate, medical services, health care, and infrastructure development.

Andres Calderon, portfolio manager from the US-based Consilium Investment Capital, said he attended the event to sound out opportunities. “This is the first time I’ve been to Vietnam. I think there are many opportunities for us as foreign investors are coming in. Many of my friends have been doing so here, and I think I’ll be back again and again to catch the opportunities.”

Vietnam Access Day 2014 - Photo Le Toan

The Vietnamese stock market is turning a new magnet to foreign investors as its benchmark VN-Index was one of the top ten indices in the world last year. At the end of the year’s last trading session, the VN-Index and Hanoi Index was up 21.9 per cent and 18.8 per cent, respectively.

So far this year, foreign investors have net bought stocks worth more than $133 million. A reason is, according to international observers, the Vietnamese stock market’s valuation remains relatively cheap compared its regional peers like Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.

Secondly, Vietnam’s macro economic picture is significantly improving. In addition, Vietnam is almost invulnerable to external volatilities like QE tapering in the US or political unrest.