The Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD) in March granted a total of 228 securities trading codes to foreign investors. 

This is a monthly record for new foreign investors permitted to invest in the local securities market in recent years.

In March, VSD also canceled two trading codes -- one of an individual and another of an institution.

In February, 200 transaction codes were granted to foreign investors, while this number in January was 113.

By the end of March 2017, a total of 20,798 foreign investors were trading on Việt Nam’s securities market -- 17,551 individuals and 3,247 institutions.

According to the latest report by the National Financial Supervisory Commission, foreign investors were net buyers on the local stock market since the beginning of this year, picking up securities worth a total of $554 million in the first three months (bonds worth $418 million and stocks valued at $136 million).

Ending March, total portfolio value of foreign traders was estimated at $23.4 billion, up 14.8 per cent over the end of 2016.

Foreign ownership made up 19.2 per cent of the total stock market and 6.2 per cent of the total bond market. 

VNS