HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam - A half a world away from Silicon Valley's anemic real estate market, agent Cindy Nguyen has little time for sleep while she sniffs out deals in one of the world's hottest property markets.

HO CHI MINH CITY (Reuters) - Business is brisk at the Saigon Gold Exchange in a grimy neighborhood of Ho Chi Minh City as Vietnamese investors bet on gold amid a turbulent stock market, rising inflation and currency concerns.