This is a brief rundown of what is being reported today in Vietnam’s state-approved media. It compiles coverage from official outlets such as Dan Tri, Tuoi Tre, and VN Express, highlighting the narratives currently shaping the country’s economic, financial, and business news landscape.
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This is the 4pm update | Jump to the 9am update
Compulsory insurance payments
Nguoi Lao Dong is reporting that Nearly 25,500 businesses in Hanoi are behind on compulsory social and health insurance payments worth hundreds of billions of dong → source.
Apax English, for example, owes VND 63.4 billion or US$2.44 million after 68 months of delays, Lilama 3 owes VND 48.7 billion or US$1.88 million, and Cau 12 nearly VND 29.9 billion or US$1.15 million.
Ed.’s notes: It’s interesting that firms in this level of arrears are still in business.
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Petroleum shipping
Dan Tri is reporting that Au Lac JSC, known for petroleum shipping, is preparing to go public amid significant internal shifts → source.
Fleet renewal and governance restructuring are central to the firm’s pre-listing push. the article notes.
It also points out the company is expanding into industrial parks, banking, and logistics and has two Singapore-based investors, Polyscias and Coney Pearl, which it notes both occupy the same address in Singapore.
Ed.’s notes: Worth monitoring in the event that it does go public.
Intel expansion plans
VnExpress is reporting that Intel plans to shift more of its assembly, packaging, and testing operations from Costa Rica to Vietnam → source.
Intel Products Vietnam (IPV) General Director Kenneth Tse discussed the plan with Ho Chi Minh City Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc on 24 October.
The expansion will require new recruitment through 2025, mainly production technicians.
Intel’s HCMC facility, already its largest assembly and testing site, produces over half of Intel’s global output and employs more than 6,000 workers.
Forex reserve spending
Vietnambiz is reporting that The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) sold another US$1.5 billion in 180-day cancellable forward contracts on 22 October — its third such move in less than two months — to stabilise the dong–dollar exchange rate → source.
The forward rate was set at VND 26,550.
The publication says that immediately afterward, banks’ quoted USD prices softened slightly.
Ed.’s notes: Vietnam’s ForEx reserves are now hovering around US$78 billion. Three months worth of imports, which the IMF recommends a country has in reserve, would be about US$83 billion (average over the last nine months).
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Vingroup-Congo MOU
Nguoiquansat is reporting that Vingroup has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to develop a 6,300-hectare riverside megacity and help the country transition over 300,000 petrol vehicles to electric ones → source.
The agreement grants Vingroup free land for the project, which will include housing, schools, hospitals, commercial centres, hotels, recreation areas, and administrative facilities, aiming to make Kinshasa a model modern city in Africa.
VinFast and GSM will supply electric vehicles, buses, and charging infrastructure.
Ed.’s notes: Vingroup’s expansion plan seems to be South-South orientated, as opposed to regional.
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This is the 9am update. It contains 15 news summaries.
Savings interest rates
Doanh Nhan Vietnam is reporting that Vietnam’s banks are raising deposit rates across the board as year-end liquidity demand rises → source.
Major state-owned banks like VietinBank and Vietcombank are offering cash gifts, bonus loyalty points, and lucky draws to attract deposits, while smaller lenders such as Techcombank, Bac A Bank, and PVcomBank have increased rates by 0.2–1 percent per year.
Analysts link the surge to seasonal credit expansion and rising capital demand ahead of year-end.
Ed.’s notes: To add to that, this may also speak to market distortions as a result of government policy to push credit into the economy to raise GDP growth. You can read more about that here: Vietnam’s 8 Percent GDP Growth Target: Unpacked
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Social housing
Dan Tri is reporting that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a national conference on 24 October in which a new government resolution was being discussed → source.
Vietnam has 696 social housing projects with more than 637,000 units planned, including 50,000 completed in the first nine months of 2025 and 89,000 expected by year-end, the conference heard.
The PM called for clean land reserves, diversified financing through credit, state funds, and bonds, and stronger local accountability to be included, in the aforementioned resolution.
Ed.’s notes: Broad and vague, no specific policy details mentioned or announced.
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African Swine Fever
Dan Tri is reporting that Vietnam’s pig farmers are struggling as live hog prices fall to around VND 50,000 or US$1.90 per kilogram, down from VND 68,000 or US$2.58 last month → source.
High feed costs, labour expenses, and the spread of African swine fever (ASF) have made farmers reluctant to restock ahead of Tet 2026.
The article notes that ASF has caused over 2,000 outbreaks and nearly one million pig culls nationwide, cutting the herd to 26.2 million, down 0.6 percent year-on-year.
It notes large producers are doing better than smaller farmers who lack capital and disease control capacity.
Authorities project year-end consumption to rise 10–15 percent but warn that sustained price pressure and ASF risks could disrupt supply stability.
Ed.’s notes: Mostly small holder farms = widespread, yet hyper-local impact.
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Renewable energy pricing
Dan Tri is reporting that Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh has ordered the Ministry of Industry and Trade to classify and report all wind and solar power projects facing difficulties with fixed electricity prices (FIT) by 25 October, for review by the Ministry of Finance → source.
The article notes that state power provider Electricity Vietnam (EVN) had, earlier, divided 172 affected projects into two groups—three already under court rulings and 169 awaiting resolution—and suggested applying transitional ceiling prices until official FIT approval.
Investors have agreed not to pursue lawsuits or demand late-payment interest if EVN settles outstanding debts by 31 October, awaiting final government guidance on pricing and contract enforcement.
Ed.’s notes: Three basic core problems: High FIT tariffs policy led to over development and grid couldn’t cope so generation has at times been curtailed, also for said tariffs to apply projects needed to meet operational deadlines which some missed, and EVN is locked in to these high FIT prices, but is having broad financial difficulties and has struggled to pay suppliers on time (for more details see this backgrounder).
Takeaways from Dan Tri’s article: investors are looking at legal action and EVN is worried about it.
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Sustainability in construction
Dan Tri is reporting that Vietnam’s construction sector, one of the country’s largest greenhouse gas emitters, faces growing pressure to transition toward green and circular models → source.
At a Ho Chi Minh City conference, experts noted that cement production alone contributes 7–8 percent of global CO₂ emissions, while Vietnam still lacks national standards for life-cycle analysis (LCA) and environmental product declarations (EPD), the publication says.
Without EPD compliance, domestic materials risk exclusion from international green projects, prompting calls for stronger policy, investment, and adoption of local green certifications.
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New origin tracing app
Dan Tri is reporting that A new tourism app jointly developed by MobiFone and VNeTrip enables travellers to trace the origin of local specialties, helping to curb counterfeit goods and tax losses → source.
Launched in Ho Chi Minh City on 24 October, the platform is being piloted in An Giang, allowing users to book tours, buy regional products, and verify authenticity. Over 50 firms and 300 OCOP enterprises have joined the traceability system.
Ed.’s notes: Dan Tri frames this as about tackling counterfeit goods but it’s actually about an app that functions as a marketplace for tourists.
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Price regulation
Market Times is reporting that Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance has proposed expanding administrative penalty powers for price violations, giving local officials greater authority → source.
Under the proposal, commune-level chairpersons could fine up to VND 75 million or about US$2,850, a sharp rise from the current VND 5 million limit. Provincial directors could fine up to VND 150 million or US$5,700, and department heads up to VND 120 million or US$4,560.
Ed.’s notes: Article focuses on giving local government more power and decentralisation, however, worth noting the penalties for breaching price regulations.
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Fake perfumes
Tuoi Tre is reporting that Ho Chi Minh City police have dismantled a counterfeit perfume ring producing nearly 20,000 fake bottles of luxury brands such as Chanel, Gucci, Versace, Burberry, and Dior → source.
The operation, was run from a factory in Tam Binh Ward, where the alleged masterminds mixed fragrances, bottled, labelled, and packaged fake perfumes for sale online and via delivery networks nationwide.
Police seized fake goods and production equipment worth an estimated VND 15 billion or US$577,000.
Eleven suspects have been charged with producing and selling counterfeit goods, tax evasion, and related offences.
Ed.’s notes: Counterfeiting in Vietnam was raised as a problem for the US with regard to recent trade negotiations and therefore these stories tend to make it into the local press quite a bit of late. You can read more about how counterfeiting connects with US-Vietnam trade here: Vietnam’s US Tariff Threat Prompted Counterfeit Crackdown: Unpacked
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Vinhomes shares sale
Tuoi Tre is reporting that Danang Housing Development JSC (NDN) reported a surge in third-quarter 2025 profit despite weak property sales, driven by gains from its stock investments, particularly Vinhomes (VHM) → source.
Quarterly revenue doubled year-on-year to VND 106 billion or US$4 million, while expenses fell 55 percent to VND 20 billion or US$760,000. Net profit jumped to VND 71 billion or US$2.7 million, its highest in ten quarters.
NDN sold part of its Vinhomes stake, cutting the book value from VND 131 billion to VND 93 billion (US$3.6 million) but retaining a market value of VND 177 billion or US$6.7 million.
Over nine months, total revenue reached less than VND 20 billion or US$760,000, but financial income climbed 40 percent to VND 137 billion or US$5.2 million, lifting net profit to VND 145 billion or US$5.5 million, up 253 percent year-on-year.
Ed.’s notes: Given the concerning financial situation of Vingroup, Vinhome’s parent company, yet rapid rise of its share price and shares of its subsidiaries this year, this feels worth taking note of.
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Plastic product exports
the-shiv is reporting that Vietnam’s exports of plastic products declined month-on-month in September 2025, according to Vietnam’s General Department of Customs → source.
Total export value reached US$592.93 million, down from US$637.43 million in August.
Beer production
the-shiv is reporting that Vietnam’s beer production rose 4.52 percent month-on-month in September to 424 million litres, up from 405 million litres in August, according to preliminary data from Vietnam’s National Statistics Office → source.
Digital camera imports
the-shiv is reporting that Vietnam’s imports of still image, video cameras and parts reached US$233.40 million in September, down 0.37 percent from August, according to preliminary data from Vietnam’s General Department of Customs → source.
Year-to-date imports stood at US$1.83 billion.
Powdered milk production
the-shiv is reporting that Vietnam’s powdered milk production rose 6.63 percent month-on-month in September to 13 thousand tons, according to data from the National Statistics Office → source.
Output for the first nine months of 2025 reached 112 thousand tons, up from 101 thousand tons in the same period last year.
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