Passive inflows are set to begin with index inclusion, but active foreign investors remain selective. Vietnam is days away from a milestone designed to pull its stock market deeper into the global investment mainstream. Yet, some foreign fund managers are still waiting for a better reason to buy.

After nearly a decade of muted activity in state owned enterprises (SOEs), Vietnam is once again paving the way for private investors to buy into some of the country's most important companies and infrastructure assets. But will this wave of SOE privatisation be any different?

As authorities step up oversight of the diamond market, experts say restoring consumer confidence will require greater transparency and stronger regulation, not just inspections.

Investors who stocked up on copper bullion in anticipation of higher prices are now cutting their losses, with over-the-counter bullion prices dropping to levels equivalent to high-grade copper scrap.