Investors given access to first Vietnam equity fund

Dragon Capital will today launch Vietnam’s first ever Equity UCITS Fund to give investors access to one of the continent’s fastest-growing markets.

The fund will invest in equities listed on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange and other companies with significant exposure to the country. The Vietnam Index has risen by more than 23 per cent over the past 12 months, helped by resilient export figures and positive economic policies from the Government.

The fund will be run entirely by women, a trend that is typical in Vietnam where many of the country’s largest companies are run by female chief executives unlike in the UK.

Dominic Scriven, chief executive, said: “International investors are looking further afield to search for growth and we firmly believe the Vietnam Equity UCITS Fund will provide investors with a compelling mix of strong returns and an opportunity to diversify their risk, overseen by an all-female board with close to 50 years combined experience in the fund industry.”

The open-ended fund will focus on private bank clients and wealth managers. The fund will have a minimum commitment size of $25,000 and a management charge of 2 per cent per annum. Mr Scriven added: “Vietnam is undergoing a phase of reforms to stabilise the economy and this points to a significant turnaround in its economic fortunes and a should prompt a reassessment of the Country’s still-powerful growth drivers: ideal demographics, an increasingly skilled labour force, a strong work ethic, political stability and ongoing FDI.”