Hormuz Deadlock: Gold Has Priced in Peace, Oil Hasn't
On Apr 28, the same Iran headline sent gold down 2.28% and Brent up 3.22%. Not a contradiction — two assets measuring two different things.
A 25-Year First: Vietnam Overtakes Thailand in Purchasing Power
Vietnam's GSO confirmed GDP by purchasing power parity reached approximately $1.885 trillion in 2025, surpassing Thailand for the first time in 25 years — and the gap is forecast to widen further in 2026.
UAE Exits OPEC, Brent Hits $111: Hormuz Overrides Everything
A major OPEC member leaving the cartel should push oil prices down — instead Brent closed at $111.71/bbl. The reason is in the Strait of Hormuz, not in Abu Dhabi.
Gold Drops 3.5%, S&P 500 Hits Record: April Chose Risk
In April 2026, global institutional money chose equities over gold — even as Hormuz tensions simmered and geopolitical risks remained elevated. Here's what the data says.
Before April 30 Holiday: Fed, Big Tech and the May 4 Open
Vietnam's market closes for four days, while the FOMC decision and Big Tech Q1 earnings land right in the middle of the break. Two sessions on Apr 28-29 are the only window to adjust positions.
KOSPI 6,599, Nikkei 60,000: Why VN-Index Is Not Part of This Rally
KOSPI surged 20.9% in a single month, Nikkei cleared 60,000 for the first time — all driven by the same HBM supply chain dynamics. Vietnam's benchmark, stuck near 1,853, is structurally absent from this AI cycle.
Sell in May and Vietnam's Real May 2026 Risk Factors
VN-Index has risen in May 5 out of the past 8 years, averaging +2.89%. The old adage falls flat against the data. Three specific variables make May 2026 worth watching closely.
Vietnam's crypto framework: 0.1% tax, exchanges in Q3/2026
In seven months, Vietnam stitched together three pieces of crypto-asset regulation: a 5-year pilot, a personal tax of 0.1% (identical to listed equity), and five shortlisted exchange licenses. This is how the government plans to bring 17 million crypto users onto a supervised track.
Vũ Yên: $1.4B raise vs Hanoi resale market freeze
In the same month, Vingroup's Vũ Yên project was cleared to raise VND 36,000 billion in primary capital while resale apartments on Hanoi's outskirts cut prices by VND 500–700 million and still found no buyers. The bridge between the two pictures: home loan rates of 13–14%/year and a tightened 2026 credit room.
Brent +15.87%, VIX at 18.71: Wall Street is lagging Hormuz
On the weekend of 24 Apr, two data sets sent opposite signals — Wall Street pushed VIX down to 18.71 while the IEA and Baker Hughes added another 6–24 months to the Hormuz clock. Which gauge is lagging?
Koreans bought $9B of US stocks while KOSPI hit records
A 5-percentage-point annual gap between the S&P 500 and KOSPI over 10 years is the long-run frame Vietnamese retail investors can reread before the April 30 holiday.
Meta cuts 8,000 jobs, Intel books $5.1B from the same capital flow
Three Big Tech announcements on April 23, 2026 exposed the cross-mechanism of the AI capex cycle — a framework that reads across to Vietnam's listed tech names too.
VND 970tn borrowing plan: three rate pressures for 2026
The 2026 government borrowing plan is up 19%, but the 31.7% jump in deficit financing is the number worth reading. Three mechanisms keep VND rates flat or drifting up for the rest of the year.
THACO's 270 trillion VND metro push: Three stock-timing layers
On April 30, 2026, THACO breaks ground on the 33 trillion VND Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem metro line, closing a multi-year capability build-up. The near 270 trillion VND pipeline opens up a satellite-stock map with three distinct timing layers.
Bond funds: US retail piles in, Vietnam pulls VND 4.5tn out
Same product — open-ended bond funds — but in Q1 2026, US and Vietnamese retail investors are betting in opposite directions. TCBF lost nearly half its AUM in four months, even as per-unit NAV stayed positive.