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.
Construction: Vietnam’s construction sector secures US$12 million in March FDI commitments
The construction sector received US$12.41 million in foreign direct investment in March. This included 3 new projects worth US$2 million, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Automotive: Vietnam’s auto-trade and repairs sector records US$123 million in March FDI
The wholesale and retail trade sector, including the repair of cars, motorcycles and motorbikes, recorded US$123.46 million in foreign direct investment in March 2025. This comprised 103 new projects worth US$19 million, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Manufacturing: Vietnam March new manufacturing FDI tops US$2 billion
Vietnam’s processing and manufacturing industry recorded a total of US$2,077.01 million in foreign direct investment in March, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Planning and Investment. This included 123 new projects valued at US$1,174 million, accounting for more than half of total inflows.
Manufacturing: Vietnam April PMI sees sector contract sharply as US tariffs hit
Vietnam’s manufacturing sector shrank in April as newly announced US tariffs triggered a sharp drop in orders, production, and sentiment, according to a press release from S&P Global Vietnam Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index. Vietnam’s PMI fell to 45.6, down from 50.5 in March, signalling the steepest monthly contraction since May 2023, largely as a result of the US tariffs announced at the start of the month, the press release says.
Banking and finance: Vietnam’s finance and insurance sector sees US$142 million in March FDI commitments
The finance, banking and insurance sector attracted US$141.94 million in foreign direct investment in March, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. This included just 1 new project valued at US$2 million.
Footwear: Nike, Adidas warn Trump tariffs threaten Vietnam-made US shoe supplies
A coalition of 76 brands including Nike, Adidas, Skechers, and Under Armour has warned the White House that recently announced import tariffs are an “existential threat” to their businesses. In a letter penned by the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, the brands have claimed that many firms cannot absorb or pass on the new costs, particularly those selling to low- and middle-income consumers, CNBC has reported.
Renewables: Vietnam’s Boviet Solar opens US$294 million solar module plant in North Carolina
Vietnamese firm Boviet Solar has opened its first US manufacturing facility in Greenville, North Carolina, with an investment of US$294 million. The plant will produce photovoltaic modules for residential, commercial, and utility-scale markets, Energy Tech has reported.
Steel: Hoa Phat says U.S. tariffs unlikely to impact Vietnam exports directly
US Section 232 tariffs already apply to Vietnamese steel and will not be expanded, Hoa Phat CEO Nguyen Viet Thang has told Financial Street as reported by The Investor.
Semiconductors: Vietnam begins construction of first fully locally led chip factory
CT Semiconductor has broken ground on Vietnam’s first chip plant developed entirely with Vietnamese technology. The factory aims to produce 100 million chips annually by 2027, with operations starting in Q4 2025, VietnamNet has reported.
Vietnam FDI by Sector: March Update [data set] : Projects, Capital
Vietnam added another 334 new foreign direct invested projects in March, along with just over US$4.01 billion in additional capital commitments, according to data from Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment. The biggest gains were in manufacturing and processing which added 123 new projects and US$1.17 billion in capital commitments.
Vietnam’s imports of motor vehicle parts rose nearly 17 percent in March
Vietnam imported US$480.83 million worth of parts and accessories of motor vehicles in March, up 16.78 percent from February, according to Vietnam’s General Department of Customs. The year-to-date import value stood at US$1.27 billion.
Vietnam’s rolled steel output down 1.8 percent year-on-year in Q1
Vietnam’s rolled steel production reached 1,136,300 tons in March, up from 1,065,100 tons in February, but 3 percent lower than the same month last year. Total output for the first quarter stood at 3,340,700 tons, reflecting a 1.8 percent year-on-year decline, according to data from the General Statistics Office.
Automotive: Vietnam’s luxury car market reaches US$1.9 billion, slow growth projected through 2033
Vietnam’s luxury car market reached a valuation of US$1.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow modestly to US$2.1 billion by 2033, according to a new report by IMARC Group. Rising affluence, urban expansion, and social status-driven purchases are supporting demand, though the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is expected to remain low at 1.15 percent.
Energy: Vietnam PM pushes for US$6 billion gas deal with US to stabilise trade
Vietnam’s Prime Minister has ordered urgent negotiations to finalise a US$6 billion methanol gas import agreement with the United States, framing it as a cornerstone of efforts to balance trade and defuse tariff tensions. The PM has said he expects a deal to be finalised in May, according to Cafe F.
Vietnam’s petroleum product exports surge 65.74 percent in March
Vietnam exported petroleum products worth US$117.75 million in March, a 65.74 percent increase from February, according to data from Vietnam’s General Department of Customs.
Vietnam’s bamboo and rattan exports rise by 39.20 percent in March
Vietnam’s bamboo and rattan exports surged by 39.20 percent in March compared to February, reaching US$78.44 million, according to data from Vietnam’s General Department of Customs.
Vietnam’s paper imports rose nearly 17 percent in March
Vietnam imported US$217.13 million worth of paper in March, a 16.95 percent increase from February, according to Vietnam’s General Department of Customs. The total import value for the first three months of the year reached US$557.21 million.
Vietnam’s crude steel output slips 0.1 percent year-on-year in Q1
Vietnam’s crude steel production reached 1,705,300 tons in March, up from 1,618,400 tons in February, marking a 1.0 percent increase compared to March 2024. However, total output for the first quarter stood at 4,928,200 tons, reflecting a slight 0.1 percent decline year-on-year, according to data from the General Statistics Office.
Transport costs fall sharply in March on lower fuel prices and post-holiday demand drop
Vietnam’s transport consumer price index (CPI) fell by 1.41% in March 2025, contributing significantly to the overall decline in inflation. The drop was led by falling fuel prices and lower public transport demand following the Lunar New Year, according to data from the General Statistics Office.
Electricity: Vietnam releases generation price framework for solar power
Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has officially announced its electricity generation price framework. The Decision, effective upon signing, establishes maximum electricity generation prices (excluding VAT) for both solar power plants without and with battery storage systems, differentiated by region (North, Central, and South).
In today’s Vietnam news: Fuel prices cut, Double-digit growth target reinforced, New airport services delay approval requested, TikTok VN investment, Bybit in Vietnam, LG
In today’s Vietnam news: VN renews antidumping tariffs on Thai sugar, Power supply challenges continue, USTR tariffs forced labour, AMRO growth forecast downgrade, Foreign
In today’s Vietnam news: Fund outflows May, New HCMC airport trial operations to begin September, M&A HCMC 2026, Compensation for gas-to-electric bike switch Hanoi,
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