After months of subdued activity, foreign investors accelerated their disbursements, net buying more than VND8.5 trillion (US$325 million) across all exchanges. This marks the highest level of net buying from foreign investors since early 2023, signalling a renewed confidence in the market.

On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), foreign investors recorded a remarkable net buying value of VND8.7 trillion.

They purchased shares worth VND93.7 trillion and sold VND84.9 trillion, maintaining a streak of 14 consecutive net buying sessions from July 2 to July 16.

The peak session came on July 3, when foreign inflows exceeded VND2.27 trillion, following positive news on tax policy. It was also among the most notable trading sessions of the year.

The highlight of foreign capital activity in July was SSI Securities Corporation (SSI), which saw net foreign buying exceed VND3.46 trillion. The stock experienced 15 consecutive sessions of net buying, with individual days reaching up to VND500 billion.

This not only reflected foreign investors’ trust in the securities sector, but also pointed to optimism regarding the broader market outlook for the remainder of 2025.

In addition to SSI, banking stocks also attracted significant foreign interest, including VPB (VND1.49 trillion), SHB (VND1.36 trillion), HDB (VND799 billion) and TPB (VND542 billion).

Stocks under the Vingroup umbrella continued to attract inflows, with VIC receiving over VND516 billion and VRE drawing VND306 billion. Other prominent blue-chip stocks like VNM, MWG and VND were also on the radar of foreign investors.

In contrast, Vietjet Air (VJC) was the most heavily offloaded stock by foreign investors in July, with net outflows exceeding VND2 trillion. Notably, on July 22 alone, nearly VND1.9 trillion worth of shares were sold off.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX), foreign investment remained positive, with a net buying value of over VND547 billion during the month. SHS led the way with VND457 billion in net inflows in July alone, bringing the year-to-date figure to over VND1.3 trillion.

CEO Group (CEO) also stood out with net foreign purchases totalling VND176 billion. Conversely, the UPCoM market saw net foreign selling of VND743 billion, concentrated mainly in MCH and ACV stocks.

The strong return of foreign investors significantly contributed to the bullish momentum of Vietnam’s stock market in July. The VN-Index rose nearly 9% from the beginning of the month, closing at 1,502.52 points, and even reached a new historical high of 1,564.92 points during the July 29 session — the highest level ever recorded, reflecting a combination of positive domestic and international factors.

Experts attributed this resurgence of foreign inflows to growing expectations that Vietnam may soon be upgraded from a frontier to an emerging market. Macroeconomic indicators have also improved, with inflation under control, steady GDP growth and a stable monetary policy framework. These fundamentals are strengthening investor confidence, both domestically and internationally.

Nonetheless, some analysts cautioned that the current wave of foreign net buying could be short-lived, as investors might be capitalising on the market’s recovery after its April downturn. Given the elevated valuation levels, the possibility of short-term profit-taking remains a key risk that warrants close monitoring to avoid sudden corrections in the near future.

Vietnam expects FTSE Russell to support stock market upgrade

VOV.VN - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has expressed hope FTSE Russell will support Vietnam’s coming upgrade of its stock market from the frontier to emerging market status to attract investment inflows for development goals.