Vietnam’s stock market more than doubled in value yesterday – pushing it past the $1bn mark – when Vinamilk, the country’s top dairy products company, was listed on the exchange.

The listing of Vinamilk, which had been traded on the unregulated, over-the-counter market, marks a milestone for Vietnam’s 5½-year-old bourse, which still has just 34 listed companies and has been struggling to gain the attention of global investors.