Vietnam has moved four steps up to stay at 45 th in the 2009 Financial Development Index ranking by the World Economic Forum (WEF) with 3.00 points out of a maximum 7.

Among the Southeast Asian countries, Vietnam was behind Singapore which took the 4 th position, Malaysia , 22 nd and Thailand , 35 th in the index. Indonesia was ranked 48 th and the Philippines 50 th in the ranking.

The WEF’s analysis of financial systems and capital markets in 55 countries worldwide is based on over 120 variables spanning financial stability and size of capital markets.

Most of the listed countries saw their financial development indexes slide this year, yet emerging economies are evaluated by the WEF to weather the recent financial storm better than developed countries.

Developed economies including Norway , Switzerland , Hong Kong and Chile retain top positions in the ranking. Emerging economies in Latin America such as Mexico and Brazil rose up to the 14 th and 15 th position, outstripping the US which plunged to the 37th from the top position last year./.