Southeast Asia equity inflows picked up in December as global funds bought about USD337m of regional stocks, marking the largest monthly inflow since September 2024, according to Bloomberg-compiled data cited by local media. Indonesia and Thailand led the rebound, though net outflows for 2025 still total around USD15bn. Strategists said the region’s relatively low exposure to artificial intelligence-linked stocks has weighed on performance but also makes Southeast Asia an alt

Vietnam’s investment banks are expanding hiring in anticipation of a major Vietnam IPO wave after FTSE Russell confirmed in October it will upgrade Vietnam to secondary emerging-market status effective 21 September 2026, pending a March 2026 review. VnDirect plans to lift investment-banking headcount 20%–30% over the next 12–18 months, while Vietcap may increase staffing by up to 40% next year. Dragon Capital forecasts more than USD40bn in IPO proceeds during 2026–2028, a sha