Jewelry stores in Hanoi and HCMC were crowded Wednesday as people scrambled to buy gold, whose prices topped VND100 million (US$3,915) per tael (37.5 grams) for the first time.

Bao Tin Minh Chau gold and jewelry store in downtown Hanoi was packed with customers at noon, many of whom had been waiting since morning.

All three of its stores were crowded as it was among the few brands to have large inventories of gold rings.

In District 3 a Saigon Jewelry Company store had many customers waiting to buy gold rings, limited to one per person