The State Securities Commission and stock exchanges are encouraginglisted companies to disclose information in English in order to removebarriers for foreign investors.

According to thecommission, some enterprises were still not publishing their informationin English, a measure which aims to help attract more foreigninvestment.

While no agency is yet in charge offorcing companies to comply with the initiative, the commission and thetwo stock exchanges are leading the push.

In HCMCity, the southern stock exchange is helping to translateinformation published by companies in Vietnamese into English. Pointsallocated in the Best Annual Report Award are also placing more value onEnglish-language disclosure.

Tran Anh Dao, deputygeneral director of the exchange, told the Dau tu chung khoan(Securities Investment): "Almost all listed firms on the exchange withforeign senior staff have developed their websites in both Vietnameseand English, including 15 companies joining the ASEAN Stars."

Meanwhile, some of the 15 ASEAN Stars fellows on the Ha Noi StockExchange are yet to fully execute the measure, including food processorDabaco (DBC), Lam Thao Fertilisers and Chemicals (LAS) and Ha GiangMineral and Mechanics (HGM).

According to thecommission, English-language disclosure has brought about many benefitsfor the businesses and the market as a whole. Dao also noted that themeasures taken by her agency could only be successful if listed firmsfollowed suit.-VNA