Author: the-shiv
UK court finds against Vietnam’s Vietjet in leasing dispute from 2021
A court in the UK has found that FitzWalter Aviation Holdings, which had a leasing agreement with Vietnam’s Vietjet, had the right to cancel said lease back in 2021. Vietjet had argued that the lease termination was illegal and had refused to allow four aircraft to be repossessed. The judgement
Indian pharmaceuticals firms planning US$200 million investment in Vietnam
Indian pharmaceutical giants SMS Pharmaceuticals and Sri Avantika Contractors are considering establishing a US$200 million plant in a manufacturing park in Thanh Hoa province. The project has already attracted around 50 potential secondary investors, according to Vietnam Investment Review. Of note, Vietnam’s pharmaceuticals market is projected to reach approximately US$2.4
Bad debts continue to skyrocket at most Vietnam banks
Of 29 of Vietnam’s biggest banks, 27 had recorded an increase in bad debt at the end of June, Mekong ASEAN has reported. Between them there was VND 46,719 billion or US$1.86 billion in bad debts, an increase of 20.8 percent compared to the end of 2023. Of note, back
Vietnam outbound FDI falls 53 percent year-on-year in July 2024
It’s worth noting, however, that it’s quite common for local firms to have offices in other parts of the world, usually Singapore, through which they conduct their foreign investment activities. This is partly to avoid the bureaucratic approval process for outbound investment but also due to the perceived relative safety of more advanced markets.
Vietnam’s VinHomes jumps on buyback news but foreigners exit stock en masse
Foreign investors, however, followed their own path, using the increased local demand to net-dump 1,935,886 shares worth around US$72 million. This has further diminished foreign ownership in the firm–at the start of last year foreign investors held about 24.30 percent of Vinhomes shares, that number has since come down to just 15.08 percent. ..
Vietnam to sell itself as filming location in US despite censorship issues
In the past, Hollywood studios have generally used Thailand as a stand-in for Vietnam on the back of a more well developed film industry in Thailand as well as complicated procedures for getting approval to film in Vietnam. Most recently, producers of the Netflix series The Sympathiser, who had intended to film in Vietnam, could not get approval to do so on the back of censorship issues…
Costa Rica recognises Vietnam as a market economy even if US doesn’t
Of note, trade between Vietnam and Costa Rica is relatively small. So far this year, the Central American nation has not featured in Vietnam’s customs data. That said, state media has been pushing the number of countries that consider Vietnam a market economy as a key reason why it should be upgraded by the US. With this in mind, it’s likely there will be many more announcements like this from smaller countries…
Vietnamese dong undervalued by 33.3 percent: Economist Big Mac index
Of note, since the start of the year, the Vietnamese dong has only devalued against the US dollar by about 4.5 percent since January 1. This has been on the back of efforts by the State Bank to keep the local currency from devaluing further against the US dollar by issuing treasury bills and burning through its US dollar and gold reserves…
Former head of Vietnam’s FLC Group sentenced to 21 years in jail for fraud
Prior to Quyet’s arrest, FLC had been a major real estate developer in Vietnam. The company had properties all over Vietnam as well as an airline–Bamboo Airways–with Quyet at one point reportedly a US dollar billionaire. Well known in Vietnam–idolised by some for his business savvy–his arrest drew a lot of media coverage and his trial has too.
Almost 6,000 redundancies at Vietnam’s Mobile World so far this year
Mobile World is one of the most active stocks on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange among foreign investors. Trading under the ticker MWG, shares of the company closed at VND 62,900 a share on Friday. Foreign investors currently own about 46.69 percent of the firm with a foreign ownership cap of 49 percent…
Imported car sales poised to overtake locally made cars in Vietnam
Most of these imports came from Indonesia, Thailand, and China which have seen their car market share in Vietnam grow on the back of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement, or ACFTA, that has seen import tariffs on most small cars with less than 9 seats reduced to zero…
Japan-Vietnam firms partner up on new cinema chain
Of note, for foreign firms, forming a partnership with a local business can reduce some administrative hurdles that go along with starting a business in Vietnam. Specifically, a joint venture will not require an Investment Registration Certificate or IRC…
EU standards warnings on Vietnam produce exports jump
This jump is in line with increased trade between the EU and Vietnam on the back of the European Union Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, commonly known as the EVFTA. Bu thought this agreement may have seen trade soar between the two partners it has also been somewhat challenging for Vietnam to implement. This is not just because of strict phytosanitary measures on produce entering the EU but a number of other stipulations in the agreement, particularly around workers rights.
Vietnamese monkeys have been approved for export to China
Of note, Vietnam hosts the biggest monkey breeding facility in the world, Nafovanny. This is a subsidiary of Vietnam Forest which trades on the Hanoi Stock Exchange under the ticker VIF. The facility has been in operation since back in the 90s.
Vietnam responds to Commerce finding on non-market economy review
“If the US Department of Commerce had reviewed the records and practices in Vietnam objectively and fairly, it would have been able to acknowledge the fact that Vietnam is a market economy,” Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has said in a statement.
Hong Kong firm considers Vietnam-based phone component plant
Of note, in June, Vietnam’s phone and component exports surged 18.4 percent month-on-month, reaching nearly US$4.75 billion.This robust growth has solidified Vietnam’s position as the world’s second-largest exporter of smartphones and components.
Vietnam considers rolling back drink-driving penalties
It is not clear what has driven the MPS to suggest these changes, however, it should be noted that the alcoholic beverage industry has repeatedly complained that enforcement of Vietnam’s strict drink driving laws has impacted sales significantly. In fact, Heineken cited the laws as one reason why it had to close a production facility in Vietnam’s Quang Nam province earlier this year.
Vietnam to remain non-market economy: US Department Of Commerce
The United States Department of Commerce has said in a statement that Vietnam will remain a non-market economy for trade remedies purposes. This ends a months long review of Vietnam’s non-market economy status by the department which reached its findings on the back of “sustained and pervasive government influence” over
World Bank recommends Vietnam raise alcohol excise tax to 155 percent
The World Bank reportedly does not believe the current tax increase slated for beer and wine in Vietnam are sufficient–The Ministry of Finance has a plan on the table to increase the SCT to 90 percent for beer and between 60 to 100 percent for wine and liquor. This would be an increase from 65 percent on beer and between 35 and 65 percent for wine and hard liquor depending on the alcohol content…
Hong Kong based Apple supplier to build aluminium factory in Vietnam
This move aligns with the rapidly growing demand for aluminum in Vietnam spurred by new factories belonging to major electronics manufacturers from Taiwan and South Korea, like Foxconn and LG–Foxconn has announced an increase in its investment in Vietnam to US$52.6 million, and LG is set to complete its factory complex in 2025 doubling its investment in Vietnam.
In today’s Vietnam news: Dragon Capital Europe ETF, Carbon market opens, New regulations communicating with press , Copyright commercial-use fee confusion, Vingroup reduces holdings
In today’s Vietnam news: Ethical / cultural business standards framework, Floating solar project, Embattled construction firm investment spinoff, Raising public debt ceiling, Selling excess
In today’s Vietnam news: GS TL on AI, Saigon Economic Times last issue, Fuel prices cut, Vinhomes issuing more bonds, Counterfeit Korean cosmetics store,
This is an interview with Chris Walker, a Vietnam Sourcing Expert with Vietnam Factory Tours how rising oil prices and the Middle East crisis are
This is an interview with John Gardner, CEO and Founding Partner, at Optimum Hospitality in Ho Chi Minh City. It covers fuel price impacts on:
This is an interview with Dr Nuno F. Ribeiro, Associate Professor, International Tourism & Hospitality Management at Copenhagen Business College, formerly of RMIT Vietnam. It