Vietnam’s bid for emerging-market upgrade faces reality check

HANOI (Bloomberg): The clock is ticking on Vietnam’s pursuit of inclusion in emerging market indexes, with its demand for upfront funding by equity investors a key stumbling block.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. and HSBC Holdings Plc are among the banks expecting Vietnam’s $269 billion stock market to win an upgrade from FTSE Russell later this year, with the nation targeting inclusion by 2025. The securities regulator is pushing hard to fulfill the criteria, according to Chairwoman Vu Thi Chan Phuong.