Top-Performing ETFs in the First Half: 'Vietnam and Crude Oil'

KINDEX Bloomberg Vietnam VN30 Futures Leverage (H) Up 73.86% This Year... Top Yield
KBSTAR US S&P Oil Production Companies (Synthetic H) Also Up 73%
Potential for Further Oil Price Increase
Vietnam VN Index Expected to Reach 1500 Level in Second Half

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Hwajeong] In the first half of the year, oil prices and the Vietnam stock market soared, resulting in high returns for related exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

According to the Korea Exchange on the 28th, the KINDEX Bloomberg Vietnam VN30 Futures Leverage (H) rose 73.86% year-to-date through the previous trading day, ranking first in first-half returns. It was followed by KBSTAR US S&P Oil Production Companies (Synthetic H) with 73.01%.

Other top 10 performers included KODEX Transportation (57.61%), TIGER Oil Futures Enhanced (H) (53.46%), KODEX WTI Oil Futures (H) (52.52%), KINDEX Vietnam VN30 (Synthetic) (47.52%), TIGER 200 Industrials (47.12%), KODEX US S&P Energy (Synthetic) (46.91%), KODEX Steel (45.47%), and TIGER 200 Energy Chemicals Leverage (44.56%). Oil-related ETFs showed remarkable strength, while Vietnam-related ETFs and industrial ETFs also recorded high returns.

With oil prices rising sharply this year, oil and energy-related ETFs showed strong performance. On the 25th, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil closed at $74.05 per barrel, up 55.5% from the beginning of the year. Despite this strong performance, short-term prospects suggest a high possibility of further oil price increases. Kim Sohyun, a researcher at Daishin Securities, stated, "In the short term, we recommend increasing investment weight in oil among commodities," adding, "As vaccination accelerates and the US driving season begins, expectations for oil demand recovery will rise further, making additional increases in international oil prices likely." Regarding oil supply, aside from export allowances linked to Iran's nuclear negotiations, a rapid increase in supply in the short term seems unlikely.

The Vietnam stock market showed a remarkable upward trend in the first half of this year. The Vietnam VN Index rose 24.07% year-to-date. It continuously hit record highs, settling above the 1300 level in May and recently approaching the 1400 level. It is expected to reach as high as 1500 in the second half of the year. Lee Sohyun, a researcher at Korea Investment & Securities, said, "In the second half, as the axis of fundamental improvements shifts to the government and private sectors, listed companies' profit improvements will accelerate, and compared to neighboring countries, valuation levels are low, so further rises in the VN Index are possible," suggesting an expected VN Index range of 1100 to 1500 for the second half.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.