Vietnam Global Investment Pulse

US PPI Surge and Stock Declines

• 🔥 Hotter PPI Data: US Producer Price Index for final demand surged 0.7% MoM in February versus 0.3% consensus...

Timeline of today's PPI shock and market reaction:

• Feb PPI +0.7% M/M for final demand, vs. +0.3% consensus and +0.5% Jan prior; most since July.
  -...

Geopolitical energy hits multiply:

• Fed flags higher inflation from uncertain Iran war outlook, holds rates steady despite Trump cut calls.
• Oil...

• Exciting EM Status: Dragon Capital founder hails Vietnam as one of the most exciting emerging markets, spotlighting investor opportunities amid...

Fed Chair Powell held a press conference after the Fed meeting, covering key decisions on interest rates, inflation control, and U.S. economic...

$29 trillion in bond market borrowing by governments and corporations is forecast for 2026, dwarfing this week's central bank moves per OECD's Global Debt Report – fiscal forces now dominate markets.

Rising internal splits at the Fed preview a divided policy path:

• Mounting board dissent grows before key meeting, with officials likely to hold...

Emerging monetary caution in Vietnam's banking sector:

• Deposit rates edging higher to 8.4% amid rising credit demand and liquidity pressures
• SBV...

Q1 2026 AI investment boom rages on, led by top private rounds per Forge Global:

• OpenAI secures $110B Series C, backed by Nvidia, Amazon, SoftBank;...

• Fed holds steady at 3.5%-3.75%, but traders push first cut to Oct/Dec amid eroded confidence post-Iran conflict.
• Oil surge ~50% from war halts 1/5...

Qatar's 34% global helium production share makes Iran war a major supply shock for chip production—exposing semis to Middle East risks beyond energy.

Central Bank Rate Decisions Amid Oil Shocks

• 🔥 RBA Hikes to 4.10%: Reserve Bank of Australia increased interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.10...

• Oil spikes from Hormuz closure and Iran drone strike on UAE gas field push Brent above $100/bbl, WTI to $95.69; US gas up 25% to $3.79/gal.
• Fed...

RBA's hawkish pivot highlights persistent inflation risks from Middle East tensions:

• Rate move: +25bps to 4.10% (10-month high), second hike this...

• USD falls with focus on CB decisions; markets price Fed rates steady until at least September.
• Iran war shocks: Strait of Hormuz closure cuts 20%...

Brazil's central bank faces another interest rate decision this week with two empty seats on its monetary policy committee, which may remain vacant longer—highlighting key governance risks for EM policy tightening.

Regulatory pivot to onshore crypto trading and curb outflows:

• Five firms qualified for pilot: TCEX (Techcombank), CAEX (VPBank), LPEX (LPBank), VIX...

Resilient performance amid Vietnam markets:

• 12.8% NAV total return for H1, improving from -2.2% in FY2025
• Pretax profit rose to USD111.6
• Positive outlook retained

• PCE outlook: Expected at 2.2% by Dec 2026, but long and bumpy path ahead.
• Oil's drag: Prices matter less overall, yet still drive headline...

• CB rate decisions this week across major banks, amid inflation worries upending markets
• Analyst Duy sees 3% core PCE as Fed's "red line"
• PCE...