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.
World Bank forecasts 5.5 percent growth for Vietnam: Report
The World Bank’s April Taking Stock Report is forecasting GDP growth for Vietnam of 5.5 percent. Whereas the publication mostly rehashes the standard reasons why it expects GDP growth to improve–more demand overseas and stronger FDI it also offers a chapter on entrepreneurship and startups.
How the State Bank of Vietnam’s federal reserves are sold into the market
The State Bank of Vietnam–the SBV–has started selling its US dollar reserves in order to stop the local currency from devaluing further. According to this article from Tuoi Tre it is doing this by selling its dollars to banks that hold negative foreign currency positions. They are allowed to buy
Vietnam coal power profits surge, but renewables, gas struggle
Coal power plants in Vietnam are reporting bumper profit increases of up to 1,424 percent on the back of poor weather conditions dampening hydropower outputs, Tuoi Tre is reporting. It also states that gas power projects have also not fared well, saying this was due to reduced outputs and lower
No one wants the State Bank of Vietnam’s gold
In an odd turn of events, a gold auction slated for yesterday was cancelled due to a lack of interest and a second, today, had just two bidders that bought a collective 3,400 taels of gold of the 16,400 on offer, VN Express is reporting. This is after gold auctions
New KRX trading system to go into action on Vietnam stock exchange from May 2
The Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange has said that the KRX trading system, imported from South Korea, will go live after the long weekend on May 2, Tuoi Tre is reporting. It was, however, slated to launch in 2015 but has been repeatedly delayed. Most recently, it was supposed
Vietnam’s bank debt restructuring circular extended
The State Bank of Vietnam–the SBV–has extended the duration of Circular 02/2023/TT-NHNN which gives banks the ability to restructure a customer’s debts without reclassifying the risk level of said debt, The Saigon Times is reporting. This circular was first introduced last year to battle blowouts of debt that came about
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 is reporting. It is not clear where this money went but relatively speaking this is a big change in a very short amount of time. Notably, January and February
State Bank of Vietnam to kick off gold auctions with 630 kilos of gold
In its first gold auction since 2013 the State Bank of Vietnam is set to make available about 630 kilograms of gold for banks and financial firms to bid on, VN Express is reporting. The online publication is also saying that the SBV intends to import more gold to fill
More fines in Vietnam over ads on videos featuring the nine-dash line
Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communication–the MIC–has fined an advertising firm just over US$2,000 for showing advertisements on videos on YouTube that contained the nine-dash line, VN Express has reported. This was the fourth fine since the start of last year for WPP Communications Company Limited–also known as GroupM. According
Vietnam has started dipping into its US dollar reserves to prop up dong
The State Bank of Vietnam–the SBV–has begun spending US dollars in its foreign reserves to prevent the dong from sliding further against the US dollar Bloomberg is reporting. This follows on from a series of treasury bill issuances over the last month or so that have done very little to
Vietnam News Roundup: April 12 to April 18
Banking and finance news State Bank has pumped US$24 billion into SCB to keep it afloat The State Bank of Vietnam–the SBV–has pumped about US$24 billion into Saigon Commercial Bank–or SCB–to keep it afloat, Reuters is reporting. SCB was at the centre of a fraud scandal worth upwards of US$12
Vietnam’s GDP projected to reach 5.8 percent this year: IMF
The International Monetary Fund has released its World Economic Outlook April 2024 which estimates Vietnam’s GDP growth for this year to be 5.8 percent. The IMF also bumped Vietnam up from its Low-Income Developing Countries group and added it to its Emerging Market and Middle-Income Economies group.
Gold auctions in Vietnam to reduce exchange rate pressure?
There is this emerging argument that the pressure on the exchange rate is partly caused by gold smuggling, for example, this article from Doanh Nhan Vietnam. The theory is that people are buying up US dollars to buy gold overseas and then smuggling it in. That may be the case,
EVN reluctant to sign on to long-term LNG power purchase agreements
EVN has made a power purchase agreement with a new LNG power plant set to come online in the near future, however, EVN has been reluctant to commit to a consumption volume. The issue was the consumption rate, VN Express is reporting. The project operators wanted EVN to commit to
Vietnam EV maker North Carolina factory delayed
Vinfast’s planned North Carolina factory has been delayed pending approval of plans for a much smaller factory, The News Observer is reporting. The car marker has not been as successful as it had hoped, hence the smaller factory. It has, however, continued to maintain that the factory will be online
Vietnam’s Vinfast first quarter results show little improvement
Vietnam’s Vinfast has continued to haemorrhage money, reporting a loss in the first quarter of 2024 of US$618.3 million, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Key takeaways It delivered 9,689 EVs; This was down from 13,513 in the fourth quarter of 2024; with 50 percent
MoIT flips again on payments for excess rooftop solar in Vietnam
Once again the MoIT is saying there will be no feed-in tariffs for rooftop solar, according to The Investor. Last week it was announced that the MoIT was considering a time-based feed-in tariff for rooftop solar, however, this week the ministry is saying that’s not the case.
State Bank has pumped US$24 billions into SCB
The State Bank of Vietnam–the SBV–has pumped about US$24 billion into Saigon Commercial Bank–or SCB–to keep it afloat, Reuters is reporting. SCB was at the centre of a fraud scandal worth upwards of US$12 billion. The mastermind of the fraud, Truong My Lan, has since been convicted and given a
State Bank intends to start importing gold?
It was reported earlier this week that the State Bank of Vietnam–the SBV–intends to reinstate gold auctions, however, local media did not report where the gold was set to come from. Today VN Express reported that the SBV has asked the Ministry of Finance to smooth-out the process for importing
Direct power purchases in Vietnam draw closer with draft decree released
A draft decree that, if passed, would finally provide a legal framework for direct power purchase agreements–or DPPAs–is being circulated, according to VN Express. It outlines DPPAs that can use either EVN’s power infrastructure or build their own infrastructure.
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