This is a brief rundown of what is being reported today in Vietnam’s state-approved media and some others.
It compiles coverage from official outlets like Dan Tri, Tuoi Tre, and VN Express, highlighting the narratives currently shaping the country’s economic, financial, and business news landscape.
See yesterday’s news headlines →
Vietjet Chinese planes
Reuters is reporting that Vietjet plans to resume flying Chinese-made COMAC C909 jets next week after a month-long pause.
It says sources say the airline will renew a six-month wet lease with Chengdu Airlines, which supplies aircraft, pilots, and maintenance.
The earlier lease ended in October due to high costs and regulatory issues, the publication says.
Ed.’s notes: Vietjet operates mostly Airbus. It said earlier this year it was buying Boeing jets from the USA. Different equipment = difficult to find synergies – training, maintenance, parts inventory, etc – may not necessarily be business decision.
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Trump development analysis
The Wall Street Journal is carrying analysis of the Trump Organization’s US$1.5 billion Vietnam resort project questioning local developer KinhBac’s ability to complete the project.
It highlights concerns about local developer KinhBac, with past failed hotel projects that involved exaggerated claims, including a partnership with Hyatt that the global hotel chain has denied.
It adds that despite delays, Trump has already received US$5 million in licensing fees.
Ed.’s notes: Interesting read. Recommended.
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Vision for SOEs
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that at a VOV forum on November 20, speakers agreed that Vietnam’s state owned enterprises remain vital to the economy but are held back by fragmented ownership, slow decision making, capital constraints and weak governance.
They argued that SOEs need far greater autonomy, clearer investment authority, modern OECD style management, transparent objectives and a more market driven operating environment.
Ed.’s notes: Government capital = different agendas and objectives (political) to private firms (profit) – it’s difficult under the current structure to see how the kind of reforms called for in this article can be achieved.
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Hanoi divestment shoe company
VnExpress is reporting that Ha Noi will divest its entire 68.67 percent stake in Giay Thuong Dinh by auctioning more than 6.38 million shares at a starting price of 20,500 VND each, aiming to raise at least 130.9 billion VND or about US$5 million.
The once-dominant footwear brand has suffered prolonged decline, reporting losses in most of the past decade due to weak exports, falling domestic sales and rising costs.
Ed.’s notes: Privatisation left too late eating into company value. Interesting to see if it sells. Monitoring.
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Text book quality
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that at a National Assembly discussion on education law reforms, text book quality in Vietnam was criticised for being inappropriate for Vietnamese learning culture and because many were poorly written, careless, overly foreign-leaning and full of errors.
This was attributed to drafting committees often lacking expertise and accountability.
Ed.’s notes: Text book quality recurring theme in local press. Useful when looking at Vietnam’s education system – not clear how relevant text books are now with internet and AI.
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Techcombank GDP growth assessment
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that Techcombank’s research unit forecasts Vietnam’s GDP growth could reach 7.8 percent in 2026, a more optimistic outlook than most international institutions.
It forecasts inflation at 3.5–4.0 percent in 2026, mild VND depreciation of 2–2.5 percent, and slightly higher deposit rates.
Ed.’s notes: Below government target of 10 percent.
Difficult to say local bank analysis more useful or less – closer to the action but also poss subject to local stakeholder relationships and political sensitivities.
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Tourists up profits mixed
Vietstock is reporting that tourism demand is recovering, but executives say business performance remains sharply divided across the sector.
Analysts note total industry revenue fell to 6.2 trillion VND or about US$235 million, with profits halved, but largely due to Vinpearl no longer booking property transfers.
Travel agencies say margins remain thin and borrowing costs high despite rising international arrivals, which reached 15.4 million in nine months.
Egroup leader bribes
Tien Phong is reporting that investigators found that Nguyen Ngoc Thuy, the former head of Egroup, parent company of English centre chain APAX Leaders, paid VND 31.9 billion or about US$1.21 million in bribes to fabricate revenue for the company.
Using fake phone card sales to another company, which he paid off, Egroup recorded about 2.348 trillion VND or US$89 million in artificial revenue.
Investigators say Egroup never actually traded phone cards.
Ed.’s notes: Time frame of these bribes 2017 – 2020. Thuy wasn’t first detained until March 2024.
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Real estate inventories up
Vietstock is reporting that real estate firms are carrying record inventory.
Data shows 104 listed developers held nearly 499 trillion VND or about US$18.9 billion in unsold assets at the end of Q3, up 26 percent from the start of the year.
Novaland leads with 152.3 trillion VND or about US$5.78 billion in inventory, while Vinhomes’ holdings surged to 125.6 trillion VND or about US$4.77 billion as it pushed major new projects.
Industrial property firms such as KBC and BCM also report sharp increases.
Shrimp exports
Nguoi Lao Dong is reporting that Vietnam earned US$3.9 billion from shrimp exports in the first ten months of 2025, up 22 percent from a year earlier.
China was the strongest-growing market, importing US$1.1 billion or about VND 28.0 trillion, a 64 percent increase, including a record US$140 million in October.
VN Direct analysis
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that VNDirect is undergoing its deepest strategic overhaul in years after rapid capital expansion, risky bond investments and a major 2024 cyber attack eroded market share and strained liquidity.
It notes the 2024 cyber attack caused customer outflows and market share fell to 5.4 percent.
Ed.’s notes: Arguably cyberattack outflows could have been mitigated with proper crisis communications of which their was very little.
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HSR Danang site clearance costs
Nha Dau Tu is reporting that Da Nang says it will need more than 19,500 billion VND, or about US$740 million, for land clearance and resettlement for the North–South high speed railway segment running through the city.
City officials report that the Da Nang section is more than 116 km long, affecting 24 communes and wards, with over 866 hectares to be acquired and roughly 5,100 resettlement plots to be developed across 34 sites.
Ed.’s notes: US$64 billion HSR price tag doesn’t include land clearance/resettlement costs.
Danang data useful indicator of what it might cost for the entire stretch of more than 1,500 kilometres.
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HSR as aviation disruptor
VnExpress is reporting that China’s high-speed rail network is eroding the profitability of domestic airlines by capturing a large share of short-haul travel.
The expansion of high-speed rail has fundamentally changed domestic travel habits, pushing airlines into intense competition on the remaining profitable routes, the article says.
Ed.’s notes: Point of note is that it is in Vietnam press – Vietnam Airlines mostly owned by the state and HSR on the table. Hanoi, Danang, HCMC there are few other places to fly in Vietnam.
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Textile, leather and footwear materials imports
the-shiv is reporting that Vietnam imported textile, leather and footwear materials and auxiliaries to the tune of US$631 million in October, down 4.69 percent over September, according to preliminary data from Vietnam’s General Department of Customs.
Year to date, Vietnam had imported US$6,056 million worth of textile, leather and footwear materials and auxiliaries by the end of October.
Aluminium production
the-shiv is reporting that Vietnam produced 127.12 thousand tons of aluminium production in October, up 2.83 percent from 123.62 thousand tons in September, according to the latest data from the National Statistics Office.
Over the first ten months of the year, output reached 1,240.44 thousand tons.
Stock market performance Thursday
the-shiv is reporting that the VN-Index closed at 1,655.99, up 6.99 points or 0.42 percent, with a total trading value of VND 19,675.24 billion or US$746.69 million, and foreign traders net-buying US$11.04 million worth of equities, Thursday, according to the latest data from the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange.
Exchange rate Thursday
the-shiv is reporting that on November 20, in Vietnam, the black market US dollar buy rate was VND 27,730 and the sell rate was VND 27,800, a change of 10 and 20 respectively, for a mid-market rate of VND 27,765 (down 0.05 percent), according to Ty Gia USD.
Meanwhile the State Bank of Vietnam’s central exchange rate was set at VND 25,130, while the Google Finance mid-market rate stood at VND 26,379.
Imports from UK
the-shiv is reporting that in October, Vietnam imported US$87 million worth of goods from UK, up 3.18 percent over September, according to preliminary data from Vietnam’s General Department of Customs.
So far this year, Vietnam has imported US$802 million worth of goods from UK.
Exports to France
the-shiv is reporting that in October, Vietnam exported US$342 million worth of goods to France, up 1.39 percent over September, according to preliminary data from Vietnam’s General Department of Customs.
So far this year, Vietnam has exported US$3,323 million worth of goods to France.
