Category: 3. Business

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By Isabel Wang, Gordon Gottsegen and Joseph Adinolfi

‘It seems like there are two different markets right now,’ strategist says

Markets are looking increasingly divided between retail favorites and steady performers.

Wall Street lived a tale of two markets this week.

Once-popular momentum trades that showered investors with outsize rewards last year finally hit the skids. Wednesday was the worst single-day showing for popular momentum stocks since 2022, based on the performance of Goldman Sachs’s U.S. High-Beta Momentum Index – although the index rallied back to finish the week essentially unchanged.

Meanwhile, boring yet steady value plays quietly stacked wins, with the value-heavy Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA topping 50,000 pointsw for the first time ever. A fund that tracks the equal-weighted version of the S&P 500 index RSP finished the week at a fresh record high, outperforming its capitalization-weighted sibling SPY by the widest weekly margin since 2020, FactSet data showed.

“It seems like there are two different markets right now,” said Mark Hackett, chief market strategist at Nationwide, during an interview with MarketWatch. “There are the ones that are levered and volatile, and the ones that are just set-it-and-forget-it.”

Silver (SI00) and bitcoin (BTCUSD) were two examples of the type of levered, retail-driven markets Hackett was referring to. Over the past few months, individual investors have become much more involved in the silver trade, he noted.

Based on trading in the most active futures contract, silver has fallen by more than 35% from its intraday record north of $120 an ounce, Dow Jones Market Data showed. Bitcoin briefly erased more than half of its value earlier this week, before a Friday rebound pushed it back up to the $70,000 threshold – though it’s still well below its record high north of $126,000 from October.

Software stocks, which minted gains for investors for years, also got hammered this week. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF IGV fell 8.7% this week, its worst showing since April 4, FactSet data showed.

“Active traders can and do migrate between hot stocks and sectors, and when those sectors fall out of favor, they decline,” said Steve Sosnick, chief market strategist at Interactive Brokers. In many cases, momentum trades are being kept afloat by the speculations rather than valuations, he added.

At the other end of the spectrum, previously lagging cyclical and defensive names outperformed the broader market this week, helping buck the downtrend for the major indexes. The S&P 500’s consumer-staples sector XX:SP500.30 was the best performer among the large-cap index’s 11 sectors, up 6% for the week. The industrials XX:SP500.20 and materials XX:SP500.15 sectors were also up 4.7% and 3.5% for the week, respectively, according to FactSet data.

The broad-based gains resulted in more stocks within the S&P 500 moving higher, even as weak performance by the index’s dominant tech names pushed it lower. On Wednesday, 92 S&P 500 members tallied fresh 52-week closing highs, the most since November 2024, Dow Jones Market Data showed.

The split underscores the sentiment tug-of-war on Wall Street – with risk-takers chasing hype, while steady hands take a more measured approach. A crucial takeaway of the week might be that as investor sentiment and leveraged bets continue to drive swings in broad swaths of the market, more wild moves could be in store.

See: Dow closes above 50,000 for first time after rough week for U.S. stock market

Wild swings in individual stocks and assets still managed to bleed into the major U.S. equity indexes, with all three snapping back and forth like a yo-yo. The Dow Jones Industrial Average managed a weekly gain of 2.5% as stocks staged a strong recovery on Friday.

The rebound gave the S&P 500 SPX and the Nasdaq Composite COMP their best days since at least Nov. 24, yet both tech-heavy indexes ended the week down 0.1% and 1.8%, respectively, according to FactSet data.

To be sure, there was no obvious villain, like a geopolitical shock or tariff threats, sending the market into a tailspin this week. Instead, it was just a steady stream of corporate and economic headlines chipping away at risk appetite, forcing both speculators and value investors to second-guess everything they thought they knew.

It started with a new automation tool from Anthropic, the developer behind the Claude chatbot, which on Tuesday sparked a selloff across software and financial-services stocks due to concerns that AI could erode their business models. The anxiety then spilled into the broader market on Thursday after Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) issued weaker-than-expected guidance for the first quarter and Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL) (GOOG) doubled its planned AI spending for 2026. Together, these developments reignited fears over whether AI will truly live up to the hype.

Other macro concerns, such as a weakening labor market and upcoming nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran, also weighed on market sentiment.

“People are actually going back to something everyone’s forgot about for a long time – you’re actually seeing some value [investing] or fundamentals coming back in,” said Ben Fulton, CEO of WEBs Investments.

In Fulton’s views, momentum stocks did “run far ahead of fundamentally sound companies,” so investors need to “realign the car” while markets are moving quickly.

-Isabel Wang -Gordon Gottsegen -Joseph Adinolfi

This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires

  02-07-26 0900ET
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

British electric charger companies are asking rivals to buy them as they run out of cash amid rising costs and intense competition, according to industry bosses.

A wave of mergers and acquisitions is likely to shrink the number of charge point operators from as many as 150 to a market dominated by five or six players, said Asif Ghafoor, a co-founder of Be.EV, a charging company backed by Octopus Energy.

Investors rushed to pour money into green technologies and the electric car industry during the pandemic, fuelled by cheap borrowing. Yet now with intense competition, rising costs, and delays to government funding, some charger companies are running short of cash and investors are looking for a return on their investments, according to several people in the industry.

Simon Smith, the chief executive of Voltempo, which focuses on charge points for lorries, said: “Charging is getting more capital intensive and more competitive at the same time. That means two things decide who survives: the right sites and fast utilisation. If volumes do not ramp [up], payback stretches, assets get stranded and consolidation follows. That is just infrastructure market logic.”

The number of chargers installed in the UK has soared in recent years as companies raced to win market share. There were nearly 88,000 charge points across 45,000 UK locations at the end of 2025, according to the data company Zapmap.

Many charge point operators are making money, but others have installed points in anticipation of future demand, meaning they do not yet earn enough to cover costs, even if they are likely to as the number of electric cars on British roads rises rapidly.

Ghafoor said “numerous” unnamed businesses have approached Be.EV looking for a buyer. “Companies are running out of money,” he said. “This is a very crowded space. We’ve got too many operators. All of these businesses are going to come together … That consolidation will allow investment and that scale.”

Businesses could be keen to complete takeovers in an attempt to gain economies of scale including the same number of back office staff overseeing more charge points, the ability to negotiate bigger, cheaper nationwide contracts, and buying power in bulk.

The oil company Shell owns the biggest UK network, followed by the government-backed Connected Kerb and the EDF-owned Pod Point. However, there are a host of other competitors, ranging from Sainsbury’s supermarkets, fossil fuel companies such as BP and Total, the Scottish car retailer Arnold Clark, and the carmakers BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen, which back the Ionity network.

“If you look at any of these markets, typically what you see is everyone wakes up and says, ‘I’ll have a go’,” said Ghafoor. “EV charging has been the widest ‘I’ll have a go’ sector I’ve been involved in.”

The competition has forced smaller players to look for niches where they can find profits. Be.EV, with 2,500 chargers, is focusing on ultra-rapid charging at busy destinations such as retail parks and coffee shops. The company, which is backed with £110m from Octopus Energy, is also pursuing its own acquisitions of smaller players. Voltempo installs charge points at lorry depots, whose owners have a predictable source of demand and the ability to hire out their chargers to other users such as van fleets.

The timing of the pandemic-era investment surge may also be adding to pressure on charge point operators. Some private equity (PE) and venture capital investors aim to make investments over five-year periods before they need to show their own backers a financial return. Ghafoor said “the PE cycle – flip within five years – that probably creates more pressure” on charging companies if they are struggling to make the business profitable.

Victims of deepfake image abuse have called for stronger protection against AI-generated explicit images, as the law criminalising the creation of non-consensual intimate images comes into effect.

Campaigners from Stop Image-Based Abuse delivered a petition to Downing Street with more than 73,000 signatures, urging the government to introduce civil routes to justice such as takedown orders for abusive imagery on platforms and devices.

“Today’s a really momentous day,” said Jodie, a victim of deepfake abuse who uses a pseudonym.

“We’re really pleased the government has put these amendments into law that will definitely protect more women and girls. They were hard-fought victories by campaigners, particularly the consent-based element of it,” she added.

In the petition, campaigners are also calling for improved relationships and sex education, as well as adequate funding for specialist services, such as the Revenge Porn Helpline, which support intimate image abuse victims.

Jodie, who is in her 20s, discovered images of her being used as deepfake pornography in 2021. She and 15 other women testified against the perpetrator, 26-year-old Alex Woolf, after he posted images of women from social media to porn websites. He was convicted and sentenced to 20 weeks in prison.

“I had a really difficult route to getting justice because there simply wasn’t a law that really covered what I felt had been done to me,” said Jodie.

The offence against creating explicit deepfake images was introduced as an amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. While the law received royal assent last July, the offence was not enforced until Friday.

Many campaigners, including Jodie, were frustrated by delays to the law coming into effect. “We had these amendments ready to go with royal assent before Christmas,” said Jodie. “They should have brought them in immediately. The delay has caused millions more women to become victims, and they won’t be able to get the justice they desperately want.”

In January, Leicestershire police opened an investigation into a case involving sexually explicit deepfake images that were created by Grok AI.

Madelaine Thomas, a sex worker and founder of tech forensics company Image Angel, who has waived her right to anonymity, said it was “a very emotional day” for her and other victims. However, she said the law falls short of protecting sex workers from intimate image abuse.

“When commercial sexual images are misused, they’re only seen as a copyright breach. I respect that,” Thomas said. “However, the proportion of available responses doesn’t match the harm that occurs when you experience it. By discounting commercialised intimate image abuse, you are not giving people who are going through absolute hell the opportunity to get the help they need.”

For the last seven years, intimate images of her have been shared without her consent almost every day. “When I first found out that my intimate images were shared, I felt suicidal, frankly, and it took a long time to recover from that.”

One in three women in the UK have experienced online abuse, according to domestic abuse organisation Refuge.

Stop Image-Based Abuse is a movement composed of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, the victim campaign group #NotYourPorn, Glamour UK and Clare McGlynn, a professor of law at Durham University.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “Weaponising technology to target and exploit people is completely abhorrent. It’s already illegal to share intimate deepfakes – and as of yesterday, creating them is a criminal offence too.

“But we’re not stopping there. We’re going after the companies behind these ‘nudification’ apps, banning them outright so we can stop this abuse at source.

“The technology secretary has also confirmed that creating non-consensual sexual deepfakes will be made a priority offence under the Online Safety Act, placing extra duties on platforms to proactively prevent this content from appearing.”

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The UK stock market’s strongest showing for 16 years failed to stem sharp outflows from mutual funds focused on domestic equities last year.

Retail investors pulled a net £11.1bn from UK equity funds in 2025 — the tenth straight year of outflows — as they ballooned to £71bn over the past decade, according to data from the Investment Association, the trade body.

This was despite the FTSE 100 surging by 21.5 per cent last year, its biggest gain since 2009, as it hit a series of record highs along the way and outperformed even Wall Street’s all-powerful S&P 500.

The wave of selling in 2025 was only marginally lower than in 2023 and 2024, when outflows were £13.6bn and £12.7bn respectively as the UK’s flagship index eked out modest gains.

Funds also suffered outflows despite efforts by chancellor Rachel Reeves to drum up interest in the UK’s equity market as she heralded what she claimed were “the first signs of a new golden age for the City”.

“UK equity funds have had a dismal decade,” said Laith Khalaf, head of investment analysis at fund platform AJ Bell.

“Part of this can be explained by the shiny lights in Silicon Valley attracting money to the other side of the Atlantic. Part can be explained by the fact that DIY investors feel more comfortable investing in individual stocks in their domestic market, so they have less call for a fund manager to do this for them.”

Jason Hollands, managing director of wealth manager Evelyn Partners, said speculation over tax changes in the two months up to November’s Budget also prompted investors to sell UK stocks.

The continued outflows were part of a broader exit from stock markets last year, with £16.8bn pulled from equity funds in general, higher than in 2024, with even previously popular sectors such as US equities seeing outflows in the second half of 2025, amid geopolitical uncertainty and concerns over the valuations of artificial intelligence-related companies.

Khalaf feared the exodus from UK equity funds was structural, however, and likely to continue for much longer.

“A big part of the story lies in the shift towards passive investment strategies and the global benchmarking of portfolios. The UK stock market makes up just under 4 per cent of the MSCI World Index, and yet the UK All Companies fund sector is the second most popular after the Global sector, with £148bn of assets,” he said.

“This means that despite a decade of outflows, UK fund investors are still heavily overweight UK stocks compared with global benchmarks. The unwinding of this overweight position may therefore yet have a long way to run.”

Overall, the IA data points to UK investors battening down the hatches last year, with ultra-defensive money market funds enjoying record net inflows of £6.9bn, even as equities were out of favour.

“Although markets were exceptionally strong last year across most asset classes, for UK retail investors we had high levels of interest rates, so investments were competing with cash, and cost of living pressures,” said Hollands. Money market funds are one of the few asset classes that benefit from elevated interest rates.

Some broader trends are at play, however. The switch from actively managed funds, which attempt to beat the market, to passive ones, which just track it, continued apace last year, with £15.1bn being withdrawn from active funds and £12.8bn going to passive ones.

“Over the last four calendar years £120.9bn has been withdrawn from active funds,” said Khalaf. “Things are still abysmal out there for active fund managers.”

The trend towards passive investing has helped fuel a shift in the UK and elsewhere from mutual funds to cheaper, more transparent exchange traded funds, most of which are passive.

Although it is not possible to break down flows by country, ETFs saw record net inflows last year of $397bn in Europe including the UK, pushing assets to a record $3.2tn, according to ETFGI, a consultancy.

“ETFs have grown in popularity. It has been the area where there has been the most new launch innovation,” said Hollands.

Despite the outflows, strong investment returns pushed total mutual fund assets up from £1.49tn to £1.62tn.

And Hollands believed 2026 could be a better year for the UK fund industry as interest rates continue to fall, sapping the attraction of cash savings accounts and helping to relieve pressure on personal finances.

 

(Bloomberg) — From Istanbul to Rome, central banks with senior vacancies are embracing the pedigree that comes with a career spent in US policymaking.

A spate of top hires at major monetary institutions since the pandemic have stood out for one thing in particular: they’re all officials returning from years of working stateside predominantly within the Federal Reserve system.

Most recent was the announcement on Monday of a new deputy governor at Turkey’s central bank, Gazi Ishak Kara, just weeks after the recruitment of its chief economist, Murat Tasci. That followed David Lopez-Salido, who started in the same position at the Bank of Spain in October. Switzerland and Italy have seen other recent standout examples.

All of those officials worked within the US network of reserve banks, either at regional branches of the Fed or its headquarters in Washington, shortly before taking up senior policy jobs in their home country.

The concept of repatriating staffers with the right nationality was previously more sporadic. The recent vogue underscores at the very least how governments and central banks are as susceptible to following trends as anyone, but also points to the cachet associated with steering the world’s biggest economy — even at a time when President Donald Trump is testing policymakers there.

“The Federal Reserve is an exceptional place for any central banker to gain first-hand experience,” said Selva Demiralp, a professor of economics at Istanbul’s Koc University and a former Fed economist. “When I graduated, my PhD advisor told me that there is no better way to learn central banking.”

Decision-makers hiring for monetary institutions outside the US have long treasured an education in America, and even time spent in academia there — witness governors appointed over the years ranging from former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi to Mervyn King, and then Mark Carney, at the Bank of England.

But the concept of tapping nationals within the Fed system was less common. Most notably, Turkey’s government hired Fatih Karahan, an economist at the New York Fed, as a policymaker in 2023 before he then succeeded Governor Hafize Gaye Erkan when she was removed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in early 2024.

Karahan’s appointment marked the dawn of a broad economic overhaul after Erdogan’s reelection, drawing a line under years of populist policies that stoked runaway inflation. The central bank since raised interest rates to as high as 50%, while holding dozens of foreign investor meetings to reestablish credibility.

Of the two other former US officials, Tasci spent nearly 17 years at the Cleveland Fed before a short stint at JPMorgan in New York, while Kara has been focusing on financial stability at the Fed’s Board of Governors in Washington.

The appointments reflect a push by Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek — himself a former strategist at Merrill Lynch — to present candidates with strong economics backgrounds and experience for Erdogan’s approval.

“Considering the period before 2023, when several senior appointments lacked strong academic or practical central banking backgrounds, these recent hires suggest a clear intention to rebuild expertise and restore confidence,” said Demiralp.

At the Swiss National Bank meanwhile, Vice President Antoine Martin joined as a policymaker at the start of 2024, and took on the No. 2 job nine months later. The appointment answered Switzerland’s need for someone with expertise, the gravitas to help manage a still-pivotal reserve currency, and a fairly uncommon nationality.

Practically his whole career has been spent stateside, starting at the Kansas City Fed early this century before he shifted to its New York counterpart.

At the Bank of Italy, the hiring of Chiara Scotti, an official at the Dallas Fed, was announced in December 2023. She began as deputy director general a few months later.

“My experience at the Fed was very formative,” she said in an interview in November. “I’m proud to have experienced the best of both worlds.”

Lopez-Salido worked for almost two decades in monetary affairs at the Fed in Washington before moving to Madrid to run the Bank of Spain’s forecasting.

In addition to the “pull” factor for such officials going home to a senior job, the Trump administration has effectively also offered a “push.” The president’s allies have regularly blasted the Fed for its large staff of economists.

The issue even came up during Trump’s vetting of candidates for its next chair. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in December that the president asked one of them why the Fed needed hundreds of Ph.D. economists. “There wasn’t a good answer,” Bessent said.

For global central banks meanwhile, some sort of American pedigree has long been treasured. At the ECB, Chief Economist Philip Lane’s doctorate at Harvard University helped bolster his candidacy. Former Vice President Lucas Papademos spent time early in his career at the Boston Fed.

But it was previously rarer for governments or central banks to look at the Fed system as an actual recruiting ground for senior officials.

Among prior examples in Europe, Athanasios Orphanides left the Fed in Washington in 2007 to serve a term as governor of the Cypriot central bank, while Emanuel Moench, a former head of research at Germany’s Bundesbank, joined from the New York Fed in 2015.

“The Fed is definitely an excellent training ground for central bankers,” said Moench, who is now a professor at the Frankfurt School of Finance. “There’s a great deal to learn there. The New York Fed, in particular, has the added benefit of a strong focus on financial markets and close ties to market participants.”

In contrast to peers, the UK stands out more than most as looking on the US central bank as a source of expertise without bothering too much about nationality.

At the Bank of England, current Financial Policy Committee member Randall Kroszner is a former Fed governor, and former Fed Vice Chair Donald Kohn served on the same panel. Former Fed Chair Ben Bernanke and Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee to become Fed chief, each produced reports on the UK central bank’s way of functioning.

In common with other institutions, the BOE also sends staff to Fed institutions for secondments. One example was former chief economist Spencer Dale. Another was the current governor, Andrew Bailey, who spent time at the New York Fed in 1987.

–With assistance from Baris Balci, Alessandra Migliaccio, Jana Randow, Ugur Yilmaz, Daniel Basteiro and Christopher Anstey.

©2026 Bloomberg L.P.

Published on
February 7, 2026

Vietnam Airlines, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines Are Flocking to Hanoi for the Happy Tet 2026 – What the World’s Top Airlines See in This Historic Event! As the vibrant energy of Vietnam’s Lunar New Year celebrations takes over Hanoi, it’s clear that the city’s Happy Tet 2026 festival is capturing the global spotlight. Airlines like Vietnam Airlines, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines are eagerly ramping up their operations to bring travelers from around the world to this historic event at the iconic Thang Long Imperial Citadel. This year’s festival is set to be the grandest yet, with traditional Tet customs, cultural performances, and immersive experiences drawing in both locals and international visitors. What makes this festival so special that top international airlines are vying for a seat at the table? The answer lies not only in Vietnam’s rich heritage but also in the growing demand for cultural tourism that offers unforgettable experiences. With global visitors flocking to Hanoi to witness the charm and magic of Tet firsthand, the aviation and hospitality industries are experiencing a surge like never before. It’s more than just a festival; it’s a cultural movement that is transforming Hanoi into one of Southeast Asia’s must-visit destinations, and top-tier airlines are right at the heart of this exciting evolution.

Vietnam Airlines, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines Are Flocking to Hanoi for the Happy Tet 2026 – What the World’s Top Airlines See in This Historic Event!

Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, is gearing up to host one of the most awaited cultural events of the year—the Happy Tet 2026 festival at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. This grand celebration of the Lunar New Year, one of Vietnam’s most cherished traditions, is drawing significant international attention. The combination of vibrant cultural performances, intricate displays, and rich heritage has positioned this event as a global attraction. The world’s top airlines, including Vietnam Airlines, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines, are seizing this opportunity to bring more tourists to the heart of Vietnam’s cultural revival. As the Happy Tet 2026 festival kicks off, it promises not only a spectacular cultural experience but also a major boost to the tourism and hospitality industries in the region.

The Allure of Happy Tet 2026 for Airlines

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Vietnam Airlines, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines are all ramping up their operations, eyeing Hanoi as a significant stopover for travelers looking to immerse themselves in Vietnamese traditions during the Lunar New Year celebrations. The airlines’ involvement is not merely coincidental; they see this as a great opportunity to tap into an increasing demand for cultural tourism. Vietnam Airlines has expanded its international routes in recent years, with new direct flights connecting Hanoi to various major cities around the world, including New York, Paris, and Tokyo. This expansion is no coincidence, as international travelers are flocking to Vietnam to partake in the traditional festivities of Tet.

The Happy Tet 2026 festival, which spans over five days, features a rich cultural lineup with historical performances, traditional food markets, and immersive workshops that showcase the best of Vietnamese heritage. Airlines recognize that the influx of international visitors will only increase with these spectacular cultural attractions. Emirates, already known for its luxurious flight offerings and top-tier service, is increasing its flights between Dubai and Hanoi. With a reputation for connecting passengers to exotic destinations, Emirates sees Happy Tet 2026 as a perfect opportunity to provide its clients with a culturally enriching stopover, especially for travelers coming from Europe, the Middle East, and beyond.

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Similarly, Singapore Airlines, with its reputation for impeccable service, has long been a top choice for travelers heading to Southeast Asia. The airline recently expanded its services to Hanoi, offering both direct and connecting flights through Singapore. Travelers from Australia and the United States, particularly, will benefit from convenient connections, allowing them to experience the best of Vietnamese culture at one of Hanoi’s most prestigious historical landmarks.

Why Happy Tet 2026 Is Attracting Tourists From Around the World

The rise of Happy Tet 2026 as a flagship cultural and tourism event is not just about Vietnam’s traditions; it’s about how the event has evolved into a major international draw. The opening ceremony of the festival, held at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, is a celebration of Vietnamese pride, and it has sparked international interest. With international arrivals reaching record highs in recent years, Hanoi has seen a 20% rise in tourism, with over 21 million foreign visitors expected in 2025. This growth is set to continue, especially with the Happy Tet festival attracting cultural enthusiasts and travelers eager to immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of the city.

The festival itself is a captivating mixture of vibrant traditions. From the immersive Spring Market zone, which showcases Tet-related crafts, decorations, and flowers like peach blossoms, to the interactive Taste of Tet area featuring live cooking demonstrations of traditional dishes like banh chung (square sticky rice cakes), visitors are given the chance to engage deeply with Vietnam’s cultural heritage. As a result, airlines are responding by increasing flights, and the hospitality industry is feeling the benefits.

Airlines Making Big Moves to Support the Event

As the travel demand for Vietnam surges due to Happy Tet 2026, leading airlines are ramping up their services, particularly during the holiday period.

Vietnam Airlines is, unsurprisingly, one of the most significant players. Offering direct flights from Hanoi to major cities across Asia, Europe, and North America, it has expanded its international routes, increasing flight frequencies during the Tet period. As one of Vietnam’s leading carriers, Vietnam Airlines is preparing for record traffic as global tourists flock to the country for the festivities. Special seasonal promotions are being offered for flights to Hanoi, making it more affordable for international travelers to experience the cultural richness of the Happy Tet festival.

Emirates Airlines, with its extensive network spanning six continents, is offering multiple daily flights from Dubai to Hanoi during the festival period. Emirates has long been a leader in promoting cultural tourism, offering travelers direct connections from destinations like London, Paris, New York, and Dubai to Hanoi’s rich cultural events. The airline’s strong presence in the Middle East and Europe has positioned it as a prime carrier for those wishing to attend the Happy Tet 2026 event. Known for its luxurious services and commitment to excellence, Emirates is aiming to make the journey as enriching as the destination itself, offering exclusive in-flight cultural experiences during the Tet holiday.

Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines is taking the lead in connecting Southeast Asia and Australia to Hanoi for the event. With a convenient hub in Singapore, the airline has increased flight frequency, offering quick and seamless connections for travelers coming from major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Singapore Airlines’ strategic positioning means it can cater to a wide range of travelers looking to experience Hanoi’s vibrant cultural scene while benefiting from world-class services in the air.

Hanoi’s Hospitality Industry on the Rise

The hospitality industry in Hanoi is experiencing a tremendous boost, with hotels and resorts already filling up during the Tet period. Hanoi’s hotels are preparing for a surge in bookings as international airlines ramp up their operations. Leading hotel chains such as Hilton, Marriott, and Accor have already reported record occupancy levels for the Tet season, with early reservations indicating a strong demand for both luxury and boutique accommodations.

Hilton Hanoi Opera, located near the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, is one of the most sought-after hotels for international tourists during Happy Tet 2026. The hotel offers guests a luxurious stay with easy access to the festival grounds, and it has even partnered with local tour operators to offer exclusive cultural packages that include tickets to the festival and guided tours of Hanoi’s major heritage sites.

Meanwhile, Marriott Hanoi has curated Tet-specific experiences for international guests, including Vietnamese cooking classes, calligraphy workshops, and private cultural tours to the city’s most iconic landmarks. These activities allow guests to immerse themselves fully in the Tet celebration while enjoying the comfort and amenities of an internationally recognized hotel brand.

Accor’s Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is another top-tier hotel that has become a landmark for luxury travelers visiting Hanoi for Happy Tet 2026. The hotel’s colonial-style architecture and world-class services have made it a favorite for cultural tourism, and it is offering exclusive packages for those attending the festival, including private Tet-themed dinner experiences and cultural performances right at the hotel.

In addition to large hotel chains, boutique hotels and guesthouses in Hanoi are experiencing a similar boom. Local businesses are benefiting from the event, offering more intimate, personalized experiences for travelers who prefer a local touch. Visitors can now enjoy boutique experiences, such as private tours of Hanoi’s Old Quarter and tailor-made itineraries that blend the Happy Tet festival with visits to the city’s other heritage sites.

The Impact on Regional and Global Tourism

The success of Happy Tet 2026 is likely to have lasting effects on both regional and global tourism. As more international tourists attend the festival, the influence of Vietnam’s cultural events will continue to rise. The festival is not only a celebration of Vietnamese culture but also a platform for international travelers to connect with the city’s rich history and vibrant traditions. This creates a ripple effect, boosting the economy not only in Hanoi but throughout Vietnam. The festival encourages cross-cultural exchanges, with attendees from countries such as China, South Korea, Australia, and France forming an integral part of the international crowd.

The event also underscores Vietnam’s emerging position as a cultural hub in Southeast Asia. As the country continues to enhance its cultural tourism offerings, it stands poised to attract increasing numbers of global travelers in the years ahead. The impact of the Happy Tet 2026 festival will undoubtedly reinforce Vietnam’s reputation as a world-class destination, bolstered by the support of leading international airlines and hotel chains.

Travel Tips for Tourists Attending Happy Tet 2026

• Book Early: Given the rise in demand during Tet, it is advisable to book flights and accommodations well in advance. Airlines are likely to fill up quickly, especially for direct flights into Hanoi.
• Embrace Local Customs: Be ready to experience the full extent of Tet traditions, from banh chung (rice cakes) to vibrant dragon dances and calligraphy performances.
• Currency: The Vietnamese dong (VND) is the official currency. However, major credit cards are accepted in most places. It is advisable to carry some cash for small purchases.
• Plan for the Festivities: Many businesses may close during Tet, so plan your trip accordingly. However, Hanoi will offer plenty of options for visitors to experience local traditions.
• Travel Light: Pack for the weather, but don’t forget to bring comfortable shoes for exploring the vibrant streets of Hanoi.

Vietnam Airlines, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines are ramping up flights to Hanoi for the spectacular Happy Tet 2026 festival at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. This cultural celebration is drawing global attention, transforming Hanoi into a must-visit destination for travelers seeking to immerse themselves in Vietnam’s rich Lunar New Year traditions.

Wrapping Up

The Happy Tet 2026 festival at Thang Long Imperial Citadel represents a new chapter in Vietnam’s cultural tourism. With international airlines like Vietnam Airlines, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines ramping up their services to cater to this surge in visitors, it is clear that the event is having a profound impact on both the tourism and hospitality industries. The success of the festival promises not only an unforgettable cultural experience but also positions Hanoi as one of Southeast Asia’s most attractive travel destinations. For travelers looking to immerse themselves in the rich heritage of Vietnam, there has never been a better time to visit.