Investors play on as Vietnam founders

After the default of one of its biggest state-owned companies in December, the country’s latest round of problems began: ratings downgrades, rising inflation and an 8.5% devaluation. Yet some investors are optimistic. They think its markets are cheap, and are waiting on a new wave of IPOs. Lawrence White reports

AT THE END of 2010 and the beginning of this year, one negative story after another about Vietnam hit the headlines of the local and international media. On December 20, indebted state-owned shipbuilder Vinashin missed a $60 million principal payment to its creditors, revealing a long-suspected funding problem at the company. Three days later Standard & Poor’s followed Moody’s and Fitch Ratings in cutting the country’s long-term credit rating by one notch, having warned on December 13 that Vinashin’s woes might affect the creditworthiness of some banks.

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