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.
Trump Organisation signs MOU on golf course, hotel development in Vietnam
The Trump Organisation and Vietnam’s Hung Yen Investment Group which is owned by Vietnam developer Kinhbac, have signed a memorandum of understanding with respect to developing a golf course and hotel complex in Vietnam’s Hung Yen province. Kinh Bac, in a press release, has said the total investment will be in the vicinity of US$1.5 billion. Of note, it’s not clear that any of these funds will come from the Trump Organisation. The press release specifically states that it will be developed by a ‘consortium of investors selected by the Trump Organization’.
Vietnam risking “one-way connector” role in global trade: World Bank
“Countries like Vietnam have benefited from “connecting” major trading partners as global tensions rose, but the scope for playing such a role may be shrinking,” according to the World Bank.
Vietnam National Petroleum Group: Vietnam Stock Overview
Recent growth has been fueled by stable petroleum business operations and a 0.6 percent increase in PLX’s output compared to 2023. Additionally, PLX opened 60 new fuel stations during the first seven months of the year…
EVN Reports 10.9 percent increase in power output from January to September 2024
The bulk of this power has been produced by burning coal which accounted for 49.6 percent of Vietnam’s electricity supply in the third quarter of the year, though notably this was down from about 57 percent in the first half of the year…
‘Destination Vietnam’ campaign kicks into gear with Directors Guild of America event
Of note, however, is that the business environment in Vietnam has changed significantly in terms of regulatory oversight and censorship, both of which have proven key obstacles for foreign studios looking to make films in Vietnam…
German fitness chain Fit24 halts operations in Vietnam, reasons unclear
Of note, Opening a gym in Vietnam for foreign firms or individuals, however, is not always easy. Not only are there several technical and licensing requirements that need to be met, but Vietnam has also developed its own very distinct gym culture. This can take a little getting used to and may make penetrating Vietnam’s gym-going consumer class challenging…
Paying For Vietnam’s High-Speed Rail: Unpacked
Vietnam’s Transport Ministry has said that Vietnam’s high-speed railway project connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will utilise domestic finances and technology, as opposed to support from abroad. It is, however, expensive and financing it alone will be challenging.
Thailand launches anti dumping probe into steel from Vietnam
This adds to a growing list of investigations into steel import from Vietnam that includes South Korea, India, and the European Union and comes as cheap Chinese steel floods markets around the world. Of note there has been some suspicion that Chinese steel makers may be using Vietnam as an intermediary to circumvent trade tariffs in other countries on their own steel products…
Vietnam’s outbound investment still sluggish in September 2024
Vietnamese investors had launched 105 new projects and adjusted investment capital 18 times for the year to Septemberty. While the mining sector remained dominant, its share of investment dropped from 39.8 percent in August to 33 percent in September. Meanwhile, the electricity production and distribution sector accounted for 13.2 percent of total capital invested.
Vietnam’s GDP growth hits 7.4 percent in Q3 2024 [with table breakdown]
Vietnam’s GDP grew by 7.4 percent in the third quarter of 2024 compared to 2023, according to data from the General Office of Statistics. A total of 4.08 percent of Vietnam’s GDP this year has come from the forestry and fishery sector; with industry and construction accounting for a further 48.88 percent and the service sector accounting for the remaining 47.04 percent.
Vietnam Prosperity Commercial Bank: Vietnam Stock Overview
Notably, VPBank’s bad debt ratio is higher than many other banks, largely due to its high-risk business model. Unsecured loans and real estate made up 20 percent and 22 percent of its total credit, respectively…
AMRO lowers ASEAN growth forecast on Vietnam, Indonesia downward revisions
ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office–AMRO–has lowered its growth forecast for the ASEAN region from 4.8 percent to 4.7 percent after revising down the GDP growth forecasts of Vietnam and Indonesia by a tenth of a point each, according to the body’s ASEAN+3 Regional Economic Outlook Update, October 2024. “The sharp but
Vietnam News Roundup: September 27 to October 3
This week’s Vietnam news roundup covers consumer bank deposits, an update on the Mercedes-Benz plant in HCMC, Vietnam’s latest GDP forecasts, and more…
Vietnamese consumer bank deposits continue to climb
Of note, over the last two years in the wake of a broader economic downturn brought on by higher interest rates in key export markets and the near-collapse of Vietnam’s real estate market, everyday Vietnamese have turned to saving rather than spending their excess income. This is problematic in that local consumption has been an important growth driver over the last decade or so. Retail sales, month on month, however, have been more or less stagnant since the beginning of the year. This latest data from the SBV suggests this could last a while longer…
Vietnam to self-fund high-speed rail, avoid ‘strings attached’ foreign loans
Notably, debt-diplomacy has become common in recent years particularly in developing nations and given Vietnam’s precarious position in the world in terms of geopolitics, a reluctance to be indebted to external creditors is understandable. That said, this is a huge and very expensive project that really needs to be done right and Vietnam has no existing high-speed rail and therefore no experience installing and using the technology to speak of.
PetroVietnam Gas Corporation: Vietnam Stock Overview
Amid declining domestic natural gas production, imported LNG is slated to play a crucial role as a long-term alternative energy source. Currently, GAS is the first and only enterprise in Vietnam authorized to officially distribute LNG. GAS is involved in several key LNG projects, including the Thi Vai and Son MY LNG port warehouse and the Block B – O Mon gas pipeline projects…
VietinBank: Vietnam Stock Overview
Non-interest income fell by 12.6 percent to US$333.2 million, driven by a drop in bancassurance operations, in line with a broader decline in bancassurance revenue following negative publicity in 2023. In addition, securities trading revenue decreased 72.6 percent in contrast to the VN Index which increased by 10.2 percent and other financial institutions like MB Bank which had an eightfold increase in securities revenue year-over-year…
US announces preliminary subsidy rates on solar panels from Vietnam, others
This comes on the back of a series of trade remedies investigations into imports from Vietnam under suspicion that they are actually mostly made in China and simply shipped through Vietnam to avoid anti-dumping duties on Chinese imports…
Vietnam Mercedes-Benz plant lease extended after months of uncertainty
The joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and local firm SAMCO had requested an extension of its land lease as far back as 2021, however, the request was never actioned due to the aforementioned regulatory challenges (the can was kicked down the road). This came to a head earlier this year, however, when the company said it was considering shutting down its operations in Vietnam altogether as a result of the lolly-gagging…
Vietnam Purchasing Managers Index records 5.1 point fall in September
The S&P Global Vietnam Purchasing Managers’ Index has recorded a 5.1 point fall in September, from 52.4 in August to 47.3 a month later, according to a press release from the firm. This moved the index below the 50-point break even mark which means that Vietnam’s manufacturing industry, according to the index, contracted in September.
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