Manufacturing & Industry
This category focuses on industrial production, from electronics and textiles to automotive and heavy industry. It covers FDI trends, supply chain developments, factory expansions, and government regulations shaping the industrial landscape. As a key driver of economic growth, manufacturing plays a crucial role in global supply chains, technological advancements, and industrial competitiveness.
State Bank of Vietnam cancels another gold auction
The State Bank has cancelled another gold auction due to a lack of interest, Vietnam News is reporting. Gold auctions were floated as one way to reduce the price of gold in Vietnam, however, thus far there have only been two successful buyers with the price set by the State
Vietnam News Roundup: April 26 to May 2
Banking and finance news State Bank considering reduced reserve requirements for buyers of distressed banks The State Bank of Vietnam–the SBV–has floated the idea of allowing financial institutions that take over distressed banks under the SBV’s ‘special supervision’ to benefit from reduced reserve requirements, Vietnam News is reporting. This comes
Vietnam’s PMI improved but only marginally
S&P Global’s Purchasing Managers Index or PMI has found that Vietnam’s manufacturing sector grew in April but only slightly, per a press release from the firm. The key manufacturing index registered 50.3 up from 49.9 in March. The survey also found that: The jump in the index was fueled by
Vietnam bank deposits have started to fall
Vietnamese are depositing less money in bank accounts in search of higher returns elsewhere and this is putting pressure on banks to raise deposit interest rates, VN Express is reporting. Notably, concerns have also been raised that this may put upward pressure on lending interest rates which could be problematic
New registered FDI in Vietnam reaches US$9.27 billion
Vietnam’s General Statistics Office has released its Report on the Socio-Economic Situation in April and the First Four Months of 2024 in which it says new foreign direct investment commitments have reached US$9.27 billion, an increase of 4.5 percent over the first four months of last year. Furthermore, it states
Consumer price index gains 4.33 percent year-on-year
Vietnam’s General Statistics Office has released its consumer price index data from April finding a 4.33 percent increase compared to April of last year. The biggest increases were in education, other goods and services, and housing and construction materials. Vietnam’s Consumer Price Index summary, April 2024 M-O-M Y-O-Y Food and
Vietnam’s industrial production index registers a 6 percent increase
Vietnam’s General Statistics Office has released industrial production data from January to April finding a 6 percent increase over the same period last year. Of the four categories the GSO tracks, ‘production and distribution of electricity, gas, hot water, steam and air conditioning’ recorded the biggest increase of 12.3 percent.
This forecast from VinaCapital’s chief economist
Vinacapital has released an ‘Economist’s Note’ detailing challenges facing Vietnam’s gold market and exchange rate. It identifies the two key issues facing the dong as the stronger US dollar and the high local gold price. On the latter, it says this is increasing gold smuggling which is increasing demand for
Vietnam solar project struggles after project approval breaches
A power generator in Southern Vietnam has reported that key infrastructure projects it is working on are at risk of being delayed as a result of the state power provider, EVN, failing to pay for the power it has provided, VN Express is reporting. The problem appears to have been
Rate cuts in Vietnam likely: Fitch Solutions
Fitch Solutions has said it is expecting a cut to interest rates in Vietnam this year, according to an article published on its website. It reaches this conclusion based on the belief that the 6 to 6.5 percent target for GDP growth for the year is unlikely and that inflation
Vietnam remains on US intellectual property infringement watchlist in 2024
The Office of the United States Trade Representative has released its annual 401 Report which assesses intellectual property protections around the world. Vietnam has maintained its position on the body’s watchlist with a lack of prosecutions and weak law enforcement, the report says.
Chairman of Vietnam’s National Assembly resigns
Vuong Dinh Hue, the Chairman of the National Assembly has resigned after barely two years at the post, VN Express is reporting. The reasons put forward are vague, as they often are, however, it is likely connected with the arrest of his assistant, Pham Thai Ha, on charges of ‘abusing
State Bank considering reducing reserve requirements for buyers of distressed banks
The State Bank of Vietnam–the SBV–has floated the idea of allowing banks that take over distressed banks that are under the SBV special supervision to benefit from reduced reserve requirements, Vietnam News is reporting. This comes on the back of challenges offloading a number of banks that have had to
Vietnam News Roundup: April 19 to April 25
Banking and finance news Credit growth in Vietnam jumps 1.08 percent in just four days Vietnam’s credit growth hit 1.34 percent by March 29 up from .26 percent on March 25, just four days earlier, The Investors has reported. It is not clear where this money went but this is
Vingroup Chairman insists company will continue to support Vinfast
Vingroup Chairman Pham Nhat Vuong told Vingroups annual shareholders meeting that he will ‘never let go’ of Vinfast, VN Express is reporting. According to the article, Pham insisted that Vingroup and all of its subsidiaries would fall in line behind the electric car project. With Vinfast haemorrhaging money it is
This explanation for no feed-in tariffs on excess rooftop solar
There has been some debate as to whether or not rooftop solar projects should receive feed-in tariffs for excess power they feed to the grid. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is against it essentially arguing that if there are feed-in tariffs people will add rooftop solar in order to
Why the State Banks gold auction failed Monday
A gold auction of State Bank of Vietnam–SBV–gold reserves slated for Monday was cancelled and a gold auction that went ahead Tuesday had just two bidders, as a result of floor prices that were too high, VN Express is reporting. It also says that the minimum volume, of 1,400 taels
Standard Chartered cuts .7 percent from Vietnam growth outlook
Standard Chartered has said it expects Vietnam’s GDP growth to be around 6 percent in 2024 down from an earlier forecast of 6.7 percent, VN Express is reporting. Notably, the target of 6.7 percent was quite high relatively speaking–Vietnam’s National Assembly, which has a tendency to be overly optimistic, had
Vietnam IP Conviction ‘Minor Miracle’: Torrent Freak
The People’s Court of Hanoi has sentenced a man to 30 months in prison–suspended–and issued him a fine of US$4000, for online piracy, Torrent Freak has reported. The publication describes the outcome as a ‘minor miracle’ with convictions of intellectual property infringements in Vietnam unusual. This outcome was four years
The State Bank of Vietnam lent out US$1.4 billion Tuesday
Reported in Vietnam Biz, this is a huge sum of money relatively speaking. With the State Bank also continuing to issue treasury bills to suck money out of the economy and reduce pressure on the exchange rate, t looks very much like there is an interbank lending problem–the specifics of
Vietjet’s parent company calls for stronger aircraft leasing protections just weeks after a UK court authorised the seizure of the airline’s overseas assets. Meanwhile,
In today’s news brief: HP and Asus shift production back to China, Tesla begins hiring in Vietnam, Saigon Commercial Bank closes all but three
In today’s briefing: LPBank’s construction lending has surged 127 percent following revelations that Vingroup’s chairman and his wife became major shareholders. Meanwhile, Vietnam faces
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