Vietnam’s stock market kicked off the new year with a historic rally as the benchmark VN-Index surged past the 1,900-point threshold for the first time ever. On January 13, the index rose by 25.6 points (+1.4%) to close at 1,902.93, driven by soaring liquidity and broad investor optimism.

Throughout 2025, the VN-Index climbed more than 40%, reaching nearly 1,800 points - marking the second-highest growth rate in Asia after South Korea and far outperforming major U.S. indices.

Trading volume also skyrocketed on January 13, with nearly 46 trillion VND (approximately $1.9 billion) exchanged across all three exchanges. The Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) alone saw over 42.3 trillion VND in transaction value.

Despite mixed performances among blue chips, key leading stocks surged, and mid- and small-cap stocks followed suit - contributing to the market’s powerful upward momentum and fresh peak.

Several banking stocks continued their upward trend after strong showings in earlier sessions. Vietcombank (VCB) rose by 1,300 VND to 74,000 VND/share, while VPBank (VPB) gained 300 VND, reaching 30,500 VND/share.

The securities sector also posted impressive gains. SSI Securities (SSI) added 300 VND to reach 32,750 VND/share. Ho Chi Minh City Securities (HCM) rose 1,350 VND to 25,500 VND. VIX hit its ceiling price with a gain of 1,550 VND, closing at 24,400 VND/share. VPX increased by 1,200 VND to 30,600 VND/share.

After banking and brokerage stocks, the oil and gas sector took the spotlight on January 13, with shares such as Petrolimex (PLX) and GAS hitting ceiling levels amid renewed energy momentum.

Meanwhile, the “Vin” group of stocks rebounded sharply after a previous session of sharp declines. These shares remain near historic highs, now trading at 3–8 times their levels from just a year ago.

Vingroup (VIC) - chaired by billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong - climbed by 4,200 VND to 167,900 VND/share, equivalent to roughly 340,000 VND/share when adjusted for recent stock splits. Compared to early 2025, when it traded at around 40,000 VND (unadjusted), VIC has surged approximately 8.5 times.

Vinhomes (VHM) added 3,800 VND to reach 134,000 VND/share. Vincom Retail (VRE) also rose by 950 VND, ending the session at 33,550 VND/share.

According to Forbes, Pham Nhat Vuong’s net worth now stands at $29.7 billion, ranking him 76th among the world’s wealthiest individuals - a dramatic rise from roughly $4 billion at the start of 2025.

Vietnam’s equity market continues to attract capital inflows amid diminished appeal in other asset classes. The real estate market has shown signs of cooling, with fears of tighter government regulation curbing speculation. Interest rates remain modest, while gold prices are high but see limited trading activity.

Many institutional forecasts remain optimistic, citing economic growth expectations and improving corporate earnings.

Investors are also anticipating an official upgrade of Vietnam’s stock market classification in 2026, which could attract tens of billions of dollars in foreign inflows over the next five years.

Manh Ha