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.
IMF report pushes fiscal over monetary policy to boost Vietnam’s economy
The IMF has released the results of its Vietnam Staff Report for the 2023 Article IV Consultation which pushes for more spending to boost the economy in light of limited room to adjust monetary policy. Key takeaways: The IMF noted that high growth rates over the medium term could be
Electric vehicle battery public relations blitz continues
Vietnam News is carrying an article that breaks down how electric vehicle batteries are made and proselytises how safe they are. For context: It was widely reported, in the mainstream media, two weeks ago that the fire in Hanoi that killed 56 people started when the battery in an electric
Calls for market orientated electricity prices on back of rising coal costs
State electricity provider, Electricity Vietnam, incurred a loss of more than VND 28.7 trillion (US$1.18 billion) in the first eight months of the year, a loss 9 percent bigger than that of the whole of 2022, Vietnam News is reporting. A representative of EVN told the publication that this was
Vietnam’s Bamboo Airways can’t pay its pilots
Bamboo Airways has been haemorrhaging pilots over the late payment of salaries, Reuters is reporting. This comes after Japanese airline expert Oshima Hideki left the position of Chairman of the Board at Bamboo after just a couple of months on the job. The embattled Bamboo Airways has made a number
Donation to Oxford college from Vietjet CEO falls through
A US$188 million pledge to Oxford college from Vietjet’s CEO Thao Phuong Thi Nguyen has been put on ice due to legal constraints around moving the money out of Vietnam, The Telegraph is reporting. The donation would have seen Oxford’s Linacre College renamed Thao College after the donor. It’s not
Food company in northern Vietnam to branch out into electric vehicles
The Cencon Vietnam Company, known for frozen foods and consumer goods, has announced it intends to branch out into electric vehicles, The Leader is reporting. A new company will be established–the Cencon Electric Car Company–with start-up capital of VND 80 billion (US$3.3 million). The article suggests this new company will
Chinese press dubbs US-Vietnam rare earth ambitions ‘unrealistic’
The China Daily has run an op-ed in which it says the US and Vietnam lack the technology (which China has) to effectively mine and process Vietnam’s rare earth deposits reportedly the second biggest in the world. China withholding the necessary technology Vietnam needs to develop its rare earths industry
State Bank bills issued last week actually worth more than US$1.2 billion
Whereas it was reported last last week that the State Bank of Vietnam had issued US$411 million in treasury bills, it turns out this was the final of three bill issuances last week collectively totalling just shy of VND 30,000 trillion (US$1.2 billion), Doanh Nhan Vietnam is reporting. This should
Securities firms urge calm as VN-Index plunges
VinaCapital and Dragon Capital, two of the biggest trading firms in Vietnam, have urged other investors to stay calm and not react to rumours, after the VN-Index lost 40 points or 3.34 percent of its value on Monday, VN Expres is reporting. For context: Rumours spread Friday that several members
Thailand and Vietnam intend to work together to combat ‘fake news’
Thailand and Vietnam, have announced they intend to work together to tackle the challenges posed by ‘fake news’, Vietnamese state-owned media is reporting. At a working committee on the sidelines of Conference of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) the two countries, ranked 106 and 178, respectively, on the
US$31 million budgeted for EVN spin-off to ensure stable electricity supply
The National Power System Dispatch Centre (NPSDC), which used to be a part of the state power provider Electricity Vietnam (EVN), has been spun off into its own entity and will have a budget of VND 776 billion (US$31 million), Tuoi Tre is reporting. For context: The NPSDC copped a
Vietnamese tech giant US IPO delayed
Vietnam’s once-tech-unicorn VNG has announced that it will postpone its IPO in the US possibly until next year, VN Express is reporting. ‘Unfavourable conditions’ have seen VNG reassess its situation, according to the publication. For context: This is yet another in a series of on-again-off-again IPO announcements from VNG dating
Vietnam GDP growth forecast lowered to 5.8 percent: ADB
The Asian Development Bank lowered its forecast for Vietnam for 2023 to 5.8 percent from 6 percent which it forecast earlier in the year in its Asian Development Outlook September 2023, The Investor is reporting. Key reasons for the downgrade listed in the report include Vietnam’s manufacturing output shrinking by
Social media blamed for decrease in newspaper revenue in Vietnam
Domestic media outlets are receiving only about half of the US$4 billion in revenue Vietnam’s media market makes and it’s because of competition from cross-border digital service providers, like social media, according to the Press Department and reported in Doanh Nhan Saigon. This is prpobably true in that social media
AI, machine learning used to forecast petrol price in Vietnam?
Vietnam Petroleum Institute (VPI) a part pf PetroVietnam, is apparently using machine learning and AI to predict Vietnam’s petrol price, Vietnam Plus is reporting. Eds note: It’s unclear how or why this might be–petrol prices set by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance based on
Brokerages benefiting a lot from Vietnam’s lower interest rates
The value of stocks in brokerages in Vietnam are through the roof as lower interest rates have drive retail invested to shift their funds from savings accounts to stocks, according to Bloomberg via Yahoo! Finance. This is also reflected in the VNIndex which is up 21 percent according to the
Vietnam Airlines’ Vietnamese pilots to receive a pay rise
A ‘salary fund’ has been approved for Vietnam Airlines that will be used to close the gap between local pilots and foreign pilots working for the national carrier. Currently, Vietnamese pilots are paid less than half of their foreign counterparts, Vietnam News is reporting. It’s not clear from the article
NA electricity report reflects general consensus on pricing mechanism
A National Assembly committee has put together a report on the adjustment mechanism of electricity prices in Vietnam finding that it is insufficient, according to The Investor. The article goes on to break down how electricity adjustments are made, however, the general gist is that it needs to be adjusted
Vietnam ATM withdrawals decrease in volume and value in Q2
ATM withdrawals in Vietnam were down in both quantity and value by 13.5 percent and 17.8 percent, respectively, in the second quarter of this year compared to the second quarter of 2022, Tuoi Tre is reporting. Over the same period transfers between domestic accounts were up 65 percent in volume
Vietnam’s local debt–bonds and the like–to be subject to international ratings agency
Moody’s is entering into a joining credit rating operation in Vietnam in partnership with a handful of local banks and securities firms, The Investor is reporting. The publication goes on to say that this was initiated by the Vietnam Bond Market Association. For context: Vietnam’s bond market has been riddled
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,
In today’s Vietnam news: Power supply imports, Hanoi boulevard project protests, Antidumping duties coming for boxes, Maersk container terminal project Hanoi, Vinpearl foreign investment,
In today’s Vietnam news: Credit limits removed for some major projects, Estonian web security company market entry, Vingroup’s Vuong becomes major shareholder LP Bank,
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