vietnam
The Vietnam category covers economic developments, investment trends, and policy updates specific to the country. It explores market opportunities, trade relations, industry growth, and government initiatives, providing insights into Vietnam’s role in global supply chains, emerging sectors, and foreign business expansion.
Starbucks opens 100th store in Vietnam: how much bigger can it get?
Starbucks opened its 100th store in Vietnam on the weekend in Hanoi’s West Lake district, Vietnam News is reporting. It’s taken Starbucks ten years to get to this point on average opening only ten stores a year. For comparison, it opened more than 6,500 stores in China over 24 years
Calls to loosen lending criteria to boost business borrowing
A lot of businesses in Vietnam have already reached their maximum borrowing capacity, with no collateral left to take out new loans according to Huan Huu Nguyen, a lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics, and reported in Dan Tri. Nguyen says the issue is on the demand
Bot-trading on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange may soon be regulated
The State Securities Commision (SSC) has said trading firms should not deploy more automated trading-bots until it decides how to regulate this new tech, according to the Vietnam Investment Review. The article says this tech poses ‘potential risks and could destabilise the market’ though it doesn’t specify what those risks
Is it time to abolish conditional business lines in Vietnam?
In an interview with Thoi Bao Tai Chinh last week, Cung Dinh Nguyen, the former Director of the Central Institute for Economic Management Research, took aim at conditional business lines and the corresponding business conditions. He says that to grow the private sector these need to be limited or even
Car sales drop in Vietnam in August partly because it’s ghost month
Car sales in Vietnam were down 9 percent in August according to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA) and reported by Vietnam News. The outlet notes a broader economic downturn and constraints on consumer spending are part of the reason, but also that these numbers coincide with the month of
Big gap in exports between domestic and foreign invested firms
This infographic from Tuoi Tre compares the exports of foreign invested enterprises to domestic firms, and there is a big difference. Foreign invested enterprises export almost three times more in terms of dollar value than local firms. What to watch: There is clearly an over dependence on foreign firms in
British newspaper hails Vietnam as dynamic content market?
Vietnamnet has covered an article in Britains Screen Daily in which the British publication refers to Vietnam’s film industry as ‘dynamic’. Vietnamnet’s coverage, however, ignores the two thirds of the article that discusses Vietnam’s censorship regime and how it is styming the development of Vietnam’s film sector. This is important,
EU ban of Vietnamese seafood could cost upwards of US$500 million
If the EU issues Vietnam’s seafood industry with a red card under its illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing regulations it could cost Vietnam’s seafood industry half a billion dollars according to ‘industry insiders and policymakers’, Vietnam News is reporting. Vietnam was issued a yellow card under the the EU’s
Boeing encourages Korean, Japanese suppliers to add VN to their supply chains
Boeing’s supply chain development director for Southeast Asia, Maxime Dourdan, told a forum Wednesday that it was encouraging its tier 1 and 2 suppliers in Korea and Japan to consider utilising Vietnamese suppliers for tier 3 and 4 parts and components, The Investor is reporting. Eds note: The timing on
Changes to who handles work permits in Vietnam proposed
Vietnamnet is reporting on proposed changes to who is in charge of assessing and issuing work permits. Specifically, if it should be at a local People’s Committee level or at the provincial level–essentially local government versus state government. The article is not clear as to why this might be necessary
Vietnam’s low labor costs, economic resilience most important for foreign firms?
VN Express is carrying the outcomes of a HSBC survey that found low labor costs and economic resilience the two main reasons businesses considered Vietanm in their expansion plans. There is, however, no mention of tax incentives in either the article or HSBC’s original press release. Note: Tax incentives can
Power shortages in northern Vietnam next dry season likely
Northern Vietnam’s power supply next dry season may fall short by up to 10 percent in a worst case scenario according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and reported by The Saigon Times. The publication goes on to dub the power supply a ‘significant challenge’ though this may be
What the ECB’s interest rate rise might mean for Vietnam
VN Express is reporting on the European Central Bank’s interest rate rise and what it means for the EU. There are, however, a couple of key points missing with respect to what it might mean for Vietnam. Firstly rising interest rates in the EU is likely to impact demand for
Savings interest rates are headed toward record lows
Savings rates at Vietcombank and Agribank have been reduced to 5.5 percent, which is the same as the record-low they hit during COVID-19, according to VN Express. Why it matters: The banking sector has been on a wild ride over the last year as the pulleys and levers designed to
Some renewable energy firms are struggling to make money in Vietnam
High-interest payments on corporate bonds issued to fund a number of renewable energy projects in Vietnam are making it difficult for a number of renewable energy generators to turn a profit, Vietnam News is reporting. Up until the last year or so bonds were a popular way to raise capital
Japanese expert leaves BOD of Bamboo Airways
Japan’s Oshima Hideki, formerly the Deputy General Director of Japan Airlines took on the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors at Vietnam’s Bamboo Airways in June. He has since resigned, and is now likely to be removed from the BOD tomorrow, according to VN Express. Why it matters:
ManPower Group exec on Vietnam’s HR landscape
The Investor is carrying an interview with Simon Matthews, regional manager of workforce solutions company ManpowerGroup Vietnam (MPGV), Thailand, and the Middle East. He says: Vietnam needs to improve its English language proficiency; That 30 percent (120) of the 400 roles MPGV filed in the first six months of this
Vietnam pushes US to remove non-market economy designation
During the US President’s visit to Hanoi, the Chairman of the National Assembly, Vuong Dinh Hue, requested the US revisit its designation of Vietnam as a non-market economy, VN Economy is reporting. For context: When assessing anti-dumping disputes with non-market economies, the US Commerce Department, per WTO rules, often uses
Why booming Vietnamese rice exports matter to foreign firms
Vietnam’s rice exports from January to August of this year were 20 percent higher than they were over the same period in 2022, according to The Investor. Why it matters: Whereas foreign investment in rice production is relatively small, rice prices are a key contributor to Vietnam’s consumer price index
Vietnam 5th cheapest country to charge an EV but…
Vietnam is the fifth cheapest place to charge an EV according to Compare the Market as reported in Doanh Nhan Saigon. However, this flex should come with one big caveat–Electricity prices are regulated by the government in Vietnam which has led to supply issues per this analysis from the-shiv. Ergo,
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