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Key Challenges in Vietnam-US Trade Negotiations: Unpacked
Vietnam’s Private Sector Development Push: Unpacked
Vietnam’s Aviation Industry: State of Play 2025
Vietnam and the Middle Income Trap: Unpacked
Vietnam’s 8 Percent GDP Growth Target: Unpacked
Buy More, Sell Less: Tackling Vietnam’s Trade Surplus with the US
Is Vietnam the Next Asian Tiger Economy?
What Recent Traffic Reforms Say About Doing Business in Vietnam
Building An International Financial Centre in Vietnam: Unpacked
Vietnam’s Economy in 2024: A Brief Recap
What to Watch Now Google Has An Office in Vietnam
Does Vietnam Have a Private Consumption Problem Too?
The 8th Session of Vietnam’s National Assembly: Key Takeaways
Rethinking Financing Vietnam’s Clean Energy Transition
Vietnam’s New Social Media ID Regulations: Unpacked
Category: Services & Trade
This category includes the service sector, retail, logistics, finance, e-commerce, and tourism, alongside trade policy and investment trends. It covers import/export dynamics, banking regulations, stock market movements, and infrastructure development. With increasing integration into regional and global trade, this section provides insights into consumer behavior, foreign investment, and evolving service industries.
Vietnam foreign exchange market to reach US$7.9 billion by 2033: Report
Vietnam’s foreign exchange market reached US$3.4 billion in 2024 and is forecast to more than double to US$7.9 billion by 2033, with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.61 percent during 2025–2033. The sector is expanding on the back of robust exports, foreign direct investment, and growing financial market sophistication, according to a report from IMARC Group.
Vietnam medical tourism market to reach US$3.7 billion by 2033: Report
Vietnam’s medical tourism sector is surging, projected to grow from US$722.3 million in 2024 to US$3.7 billion by 2033, driven by affordable, high-quality healthcare and increasing international demand for cosmetic, dental, and surgical procedures, according to a report from IMARC group.
Indonesia: 2025 growth outlook cut to 4.7 percent in latest IMF forecast
Indonesia’s economic growth is now projected to slow to 4.7 percent in 2025, down from the 5.1 percent forecast made just six months ago, according to the International Monetary Fund’s April 2025 World Economic Outlook. The IMF has also projected this 4.7 percent growth rate to hold steady in 2026.
Philippines: IMF trims 2025 GDP growth forecast to 5.5 percent
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised down the Philippines’ GDP growth forecast for 2025 in its April 2025 World Economic Outlook, while inflation expectations have been nudged upward. The new projections show real GDP expanding by 5.5 percent in 2025, a modest downgrade from 5.8 percent in October 2024, with a forecast of 5.8 percent for 2026.
GDP: IMF forecasts Vietnam growth to reach just 4 percent in 2026
Vietnam’s near-term economic outlook has dimmed slightly, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lowering its GDP growth forecast for 2025 and 2026 in its latest April 2025 World Economic Outlook. Real GDP is now projected to grow 5.2 percent in 2025 and 4.0 percent in 2026, compared to 6.1 percent and 6.1 percent in the October 2024 forecast. This marks a downward revision of 0.9 percentage points for 2025 and a sharp 2.1 points for 2026.
Banking: Vietnam’s bad debt jumps 3.3 percent in first two month of 2025
Nguyen Quoc Hung, General Secretary of the Vietnam Banking Association, has raised concerns about the speed at which bad debt is rising in Vietnam, Tuoi Tre is reporting. Total bad debt stood at VND 1,030 trillion (US$41.18 billion) at the end of 2024, rising by VND 34 trillion (US$1.36 billion), or about 3.3 percent, in the first two months of 2025.
Vietnam stock market jumps as foreign investors net-sell US$185 million
Vietnam’s benchmark indices saw modest gains on April 16, supported by strong liquidity across the board. Foreign investors, however, were heavy net sellers, offloading over VND 4.6 trillion (US$185 million) in shares. The bulk of the sell-off by foreign investors was in Vingroup (VIC), it’s not immediately clear why.
Vietnam injects nearly US$305 million via repos as central exchange rate hits VND 24,899
On April 15, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) conducted two repo operations totalling over VND 7.9 trillion (US$305.5 million), offering liquidity at 4 percent interest as the dong weakened to VND 24,899 against the US dollar, according to data from the SBV.
Stock market: VNIndex down 1.42 percent as foreign investors sell US$11 million in shares
Vietnam’s stock market fell sharply on April 16, with all major indices closing lower and foreign investors turning net sellers. The VNIndex shed 1.42 percent to close at 1,210.30, according to data from the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange.
Eating out prices in Vietnam decrease slightly in March
The price index for eating out in Vietnam saw a slight decrease of 0.03 percent in March 2025 compared to the previous month, according to Vietnam’s Consumer Price Index. This minor decline had a negligible impact on the overall CPI.
Drinks and tobacco prices in Vietnam rise in March 2025
In March 2025, the price index for drinks and tobacco in Vietnam saw an increase of 0.69% compared to the previous month, according to Vietnam’s Consumer Price Index. This contributed to a 0.09 percentage point rise in the overall CPI for March 2025.
Exchange rate edges up as Vietnam C.bank injects over US$560 million via repo operations
The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) injected VND 15.3 trillion (over US$562 million) into the banking system through three repo auctions on April 15, as the dong continued to weaken slightly against the US dollar, Tuesday.
Key Challenges in Vietnam-US Trade Negotiations: Unpacked
The US-China tit-for-tat trade war has seen tariffs on China rise to 145 percent and tariffs on the US reach 125 percent. As a key link between these two economies, this puts Vietnam in a tricky situation entering trade negotiations with the United States. Add to that the often contradictory objectives of its foreign-invested and domestically owned sectors and this should make for some very interesting negotiations.
Banking: Vietnam’s compulsory bank transfers only effective with real capital, experts warn
The compulsory transfer of four underperforming Vietnamese banks to stronger commercial lenders has been met with some skepticism at an April 11 workshop on bank restructuring in Hanoi. This comes in the context of several of the four underperforming banks being rebranded and relaunched as digital banks, VN Express is reporting.
Bonds: Vietnam sees March jump in corporate bond issuances
Vietnam recorded a jump in corporate bond issuance in March 2025, with VND 10.7 trillion (US$428 million) raised, according to data from the Vietnam Bond Market Association. The spike in issuance comes despite a heavy redemption calendar for the remainder of the year and some continued default activity.
Healthcare: Vietnam X-ray market set to reach US$99.22 million by 2030 on diagnostic demand surge
Vietnam’s X-ray market is expected to grow from US$73.12 million in 2024 to US$99.22 million by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.22 percent, according to a report from MarkNtel Advisors. The rise is being driven by higher diagnostic demand, chronic disease cases, and investments in healthcare infrastructure, the report says.
Stock market: Vietnam’s VN-Index surges 4.6 percent, trading tops US$1.5 billion
Vietnam’s benchmark VN-Index jumped 4.63 percent to close at 1,222.46 points, marking a strong recovery across the board. Trading value on the VN-Index reached VND 38.16 trillion, or approximately US$1.53 billion, according to data from the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange.
Tourism demand drives March rise in entertainment and culture prices in Vietnam
Vietnam’s consumer price index (CPI) for culture, entertainment, and tourism rose 0.18% in March 2025, primarily due to increased travel demand and higher associated service costs, according to data from the General Statistics Office.
Vietnam Tourist Arrivals Tracker: March Update [data set]
Vietnam welcomed 2,054,309 international tourists in March, marking an 8.5 percent increase from February, according to Vietnam’s General Department of Tourism. Of the five segments recorded, the most foreign tourists came from Asia accounting for 1,614,360 arrivals with the biggest source country being China which accounted for 630,898 of Vietnam’s tourist arrivals in March.
Vietnam education prices edge up in March on higher stationery costs
The education consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.02% in March 2025 compared to February, driven entirely by a modest increase in stationery and school supply prices, according to data from the General Statistics Office.