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’s foreign reserves on table if VND decline continues: SBV Deputy Governor
Banks were selling US dollars for upwards of 25,000 Vietnamese dong a piece on Thursday, the most a single US dollar has been able to buy ever, according to VN Express. In response, the Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), Dao Minh Tu, has said that the
Importers, exporters disagree over Vietnam’s currency strategy
A 1 percent increase in the value of the US dollar could equate to a US$12.1 million annual loss for Vietnam ‘s national carrier, according to Dang Ngoc Hoa, chairman of Vietnam Airlines, and reported by VN Express. The chairman of PetroVietnam, Le Manh Hung, is also advocating for keeping
VN Express reader’s letter ticks right boxes: borrow money, buy real estate
VN Express is running a letter from a reader known only by their first name, Van, in which Van says taking out a loan to buy a house in Hanoi’s Old Quarter was one of their best decisions. Van essentially says that the appreciation in the value of the property
Vietnam real estate inventories jump as firms struggle to complete projects
Tuoi Tre has gone through the financial statements of 60 Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange listed real estate firms and found that there has been an increase in inventory of 3 percent over the end of 2022 and 30 percent over the end of 2021. They valued the inventory
Vietnam C.bank starts issuing T-bills to reduce pressure on dong
The State Bank of Vietnam issued VND 14.999 trillion or US$609 million yesterday in a renewed attempt to halt the devaluation of the local currency, The Investor is reporting. Key takeaways: Overnight loans account for 90 percent of transactions and were attracting an interest rate of 1.17 percent on March
This opinion piece re: US dollar, gold prices in Vietnam
Penned by Nguyen Huu Huan, an economist at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics, this piece in The Investor makes several points about US dollar and gold prices in Vietnam. These include: Gold fever is being driven by a lack of other investment options; The rising price of
Survey finds lack of capital preventing Vietnamese businesses from borrowing
A total of 41 percent of businesses in a Ho Chi Minh City Business Association–known by the acronym HUBA–survey said they could not borrow capital because they had no unmortgaged collateral left, VN Express is reporting. The association argues that valuations on agricultural land are low and that inflation is
Black market US dollar prices in Vietnam highest ever
On the black market in Vietnam the US dollar is fetching up to 25,600 Vietnamese dong, the highest price it has ever pulled, according to Tuoi Tre. Conversely, the State Bank of Vietnam’s (SBV) floating peg is currently sitting at 24,012 with official channels permitted to buy the dong for
Fears about regulatory changes to off-the plan loans in Vietnam unfounded
The Investors has run an article by Nguyen Van Dinh, a real estate legal expert, in which he argues recent regulatory changes to home loans, specifically the use of homes that have not been completed to secure financing, are not a cause for concern as has been reported in the
Vietnam’s New Law on Land to make site clearance easier
Vietnam’s new Law on Land, will remove land price brackets set by the state which should see land values increase, which should lead to less complaints from landowners when their land is acquired, which should make site clearance much easier, Luat Vietnam is reporting. In the past, the national government
Vietnam to restrict mortgages for off-the-plan dwellings from July 1
The Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association (HoREA) has raised concerns about new regulations that will only allow banks to issue home loans on completed buildings, Tuoi Tre is reporting. These new regulations are outlined in Circular 22/2023/TT-NHNN. The article does not offer specific details as to what these
Vietnam dong exchange rate closing in on 12-month high
US dollars were selling for 24,970 Vietnamese dong on the black market this morning, Zing News is reporting, getting closer to last October’s high of 25,280. Official rates are also getting close to their 2023 high with the official exchange rate set by the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) this
Hanoi apartment prices jump on real estate market downturn
Apartment prices in Hanoi, in some instances, have doubled on the back of a slowdown in the construction and real estate sector, Doanh Nhan Vietnam is reporting. Key points: At the end of Q3 2023, 42 commercial housing projects had been finished accounting for about 15,966 properties; This was barely
Red-tape may have killed planned K-pop festival in Hanoi
A number of K-pop bands have pulled out of a scheduled K-pop festival slated for this weekend in Hanoi after organisers failed to obtain the correct permits, Allkpop is reporting. With only a handful of bands left on the lineup there is a good chance the event will be cancelled
Vietnamese most-likely in APAC to travel abroad for concerts: Visa Survey
A total of 41 percent of Vietnamese respondents to a survey carried out by Visa, said they had travelled abroad specifically to attend a concert in the last twelve months, according to a press release from the company. Travelling for entertainment is becoming increasingly common in Vietnam as incomes rise
Singapore, Malaysia real estate firms launch US$241.1 million joint project in Vietnam
Singapore’s CapitalLand and Malaysia’s United Overseas Australia are working together to develop a mixed-use real estate project with US$247.1 million in Vietnam, The Investor is reporting. No details are provided regarding where the project will be developed.
Singapore developer drops US$562 million on southern Vietnam real estate project
Singapore’s CapitaLand has acquired an 18.9 hectare real estate project in Vietnam’s Binh Duong province for over half a billion dollars, The Investor is reporting. The project, when realised, is expected to house 12,500 people in 3,300 houses and 462 villas.
Japanese firms enter affordable housing market in Vietnam
Two Japanese firms, Cosmos Initia and Koterasu, have partnered-up with Vietnamese firm TTCapital Investment, to build affordable housing in Vietnam, Tuoi Tre is reporting. This is of interest in that the demand for affordable housing far outstrips demand for mid-level apartments, yet most development and investment has been focused on
Amendments to real estate business law pass Vietnam’s National Assembly
An amended real estate business law has officially been approved by the National Assembly of Vietnam, The Investor is reporting. Set to take effect from January 2025, the amended real estate business law has a few key changes developers and real estate firms should be aware of. These include: Developers
Key retail strips in HCMC, Hanoi among the most expensive in the world
Tuoi Tre is reporting that retail rents on Hanoi’s Trang Tien Street and Ho Chi Minh City’s Dong Khoi Street are among the most expensive in the world, according to Cushman & Wakefield. That said, the Main Streets Across the World Report 2023, from the aforementioned property managers, ranks HCMC’s
In today’s Vietnam news: Research prosecution exemption, Fuel retailer losses, Semiconductor degree requirements, Eurocham BCI, Government bond auction Wednesday, Australia tourist visa problems, Coffee
In today’s Vietnam news: Accor-Sun Group agreement, US largest ethanol supplier, Demographic dividend to end 3 years early, Maritime economy development, ACV looking to
In today’s Vietnam news: Vietnam Airlines trading restrictions removed, Insurance payouts VSS, Car sales June, 23+ years prison term recommended counterfeit supplements, Counterfeit shoes
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