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.
US protectionism growing concern in Vietnam after Trump election
A possible jump in tariffs on Vietnamese goods after Donald Trump won the US presidential election yesterday is a key concerns among businesses in Vietnam, according to analysis from Tuoi Tre. The publication cites Trinh Viet Hoang Minh from ACBS Securities as suggesting Vietnam’s steel industry may face problems as Trump pursues protectionist measures on behalf of the US steel industry…
Temu in Vietnam: What’s Fair in Free Trade?
When Chinese e-commerce giant Temu officially launched in Vietnam last month the hype was palpable. Not only had the firm dropped a small fortune on advertising but it had also ruffled feathers in Vietnam’s business community: Temu’s goods were too cheap and Vietnamese producers could not compete. With a narrative containing two things Vietnamese love–huge discounts and hating on China–the local media piled on…
Vietnam’s wood and bamboo production sees mixed performance in September
Sawing, planing, and preserving wood experienced a decrease in output, with a 3.4 percent drop compared to August 2024 and a 1.5 percent decline year-on-year. Despite these recent declines, the sector has showed resilience year-to-date, recording a 6.3 percent increase over the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023…
Vietnam’s housing and construction material prices show mixed trends in 2024
Vietnam’s Consumer Price Index–CPI–data for September 2024 showed a steady increase in housing and construction material prices of 4.37 compared to September 2023. Prices were also up 3.59 percent over December of last year…
Vietnam state power provider moves two-tier electricity pricing strategy forward
This policy looks to be a response by the state power provider to try and increase revenue without increasing electricity prices. This comes after the state power provider ran up huge losses over the past two years by selling electricity below cost price…
Vietnam domestic gold prices fall despite reports of shortages
This scenario is not particularly new with challenges in the gold market ongoing since the beginning of the year. That said, it is worth keeping an eye on in that currently the gold supply is being fed by the State Bank from its reserves. These are, however, limited and will either need to be replenished or will run out, either way there will likely be significant ramifications for Vietnam’s economy….
Delayed Vietnam hospital construction draws ire of Vietnam General Secretary
Construction work on the new branches of Bach Mai Hospital and Viet Duc Hospital kicked-off in 2014 with the examination areas at both hospitals inaugurated in 2018. Since then, however, only one facility was used for a year and the other has not accepted patients at all…
Vietnam finance ministry proposes extending cut to green tax on fuel
Of note, Vietnam was ranked 180 out of 180 countries in Yale University’s Environmental Performance Index 2024 back in August. Vietnam scored 24.5 points out of 100 with Estonia taking out first place with a score of 75.3.
Vietnam education ministry looks for support tackling corruption in textbooks
This stems from reports back in September that the head of Vietnam’s Education Publishing House which handles the production and distribution of textbooks was taking kickback from paper suppliers…
Vietnam electronics imports take a dip month on month in September
China remains Vietnam’s largest source of electronics, with imports valued at US$3.11 billion in September. However, this represents a 5.28 percent drop from August, reflecting a possible shift or seasonal adjustment in import volumes…
Vietnam’s aquatic products processing climbs 3.6 percent in September
The year-over-year figures also show strong growth–compared to September 2023, production has surged by 19.7 percent, indicating rising domestic consumption and robust export demand for Vietnam’s processed seafood.
Vietnam electronics production increases 6.8 percent September over August
Electronic components manufacturing, specifically, experienced a 2.7 percent month-on-month increase and a significant 12.4 percent jump year-over-year, with a robust 10.5 percent growth year-to-date…
Vietnam seafood imports fall 18 percent September over August
Of note, Indonesia was Vietnam’s largest supplier in September, with imports amounting to US$30.72 million, a 15.56 percent increase from August. The YTD total is US$218.91 million.
Thai petrochemical complex in Vietnam to halt operations on market downturn
This development is made all the more pertinent in that it has cost a reported US$5 billion. Although notably its construction has run well behind schedule. Notably it was reported it was “ready to roll” back in August of 2022, however, this never materialised…
Vietnam Purchasing Managers’ Index jumps in October
The S&P Global Vietnam Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index reached 51.2 in October up from 47.3 in September, according to a press release from S&P. Above the 50 point break-even mark, this would indicate the manufacturing industry is expanding once more after a sharp fall in September…
Vietnam News Roundup: October 25 to October 31
This week’s Vietnam news roundup covers the latest State Bank open market operations, e-commerce market data, trade investigations, gold market developments, housing supply data, and more…
Vietnam domestic apparel prices hold steady in September
From January to September 2024, prices rose by 1.48 percent compared to the same period last year, indicating only mild inflation. Monthly figures show only a .15 percent increase in September over August 2024, and over December 2023 of 0.58 percent.
Vietnam retail market projected to grow by US$226.4 billion by 2028
One of the primary drivers is the rising demand for convenience food products. As more Vietnamese adopt urban lifestyles and increasingly busy schedules, convenience foods have become a popular choice, catering to the need for fast and easy meal options…
Vietnam’s pharmaceutical production increase 1 point on Industrial Production Index
Compared to the same period last year, the pharmaceutical sector posted an impressive 15.4 percent increase, highlighting robust year-on-year growth driven by rising demand for medical products. For the first nine months of 2024, production in this category grew by 10.6 percent over the same period in 2023. This sustained growth reflects Vietnam’s efforts to expand its domestic pharmaceutical production capabilities.
Cosmetics production falls in September per key Vietnam production index
That said, from January to September 2024, the sector posted a 15.1 percent growth, highlighting sustained demand for these products throughout the year. The strong year-to-date performance reflects the growing importance of Vietnam’s cosmetics and personal care market, driven by increasing consumer spending and rising interest in beauty and hygiene products across the country. Despite short-term fluctuations, the long-term outlook for the sector looks to remain positive…
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