In this week’s Vietnam News Roundup: car sales up 21 percent month-on-month, the dong’s black-market sell rate climbs to VND 27,194, South Korea’s OCI announces US$78 million investment in Vietnam solar wafer project, Thailand’s Central Plaza Hotel to exit Amazon Cafe venture, new gold import quotas and a planned trading floor announced, wages up 9.4 percent to VND 8.37 million (US$318), foreign investors net-sell US$130.2 million even as the VN-Index gains 50.38 points, and more.
In case you missed it…
The Big Gap Between Foreign and Local Firms Behind Vietnam’s Export Boom: Unpacked
Locally owned firms have seen their share of Vietnam’s exports fall this year from about 30 to just over 20 percent. This is an anomaly in that it is out of proportion with a boom in exports overall. So what happened? And what does it mean?
Automotive news
Car sales in Vietnam rebound 21 percent month-on-month in September
Vietnam’s auto market saw a sharp recovery in September 2025, with total sales reaching 26,291 units, up 21 percent from August but still 18 percent lower than the same month last year, according to the latest data from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (VAMA) → view source.
The September rebound followed weaker sales in August, possibly due to Ghost Month on the lunar calendar, by which superstition dictates large purchases should be avoided.
Read more about Vietnam’s automotive industry →
Black market VND sell rate hits 27,194
The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) allowed the local currency to strengthen this week, with the central exchange rate ending Thursday at VND 25,109, down 19 dong since last Thursday.
The black market mid-market rate, however, jumped from VND 26,880 to VND 27,144, with unofficial traders selling at 27,194 and buying at 27,050.
The spread between the central exchange rate and the black market mid-market rate, as of last night, was sitting at 8.1 percent, up from 6.96 percent last Thursday.
This would suggest the dong is still under considerable strain.
The SBV continued to pump money into the economy with just over US$5.88 billion worth of reverse repos outstanding as of the close of business on October 16.
This was up slightly from US$5.73 billion at the same time last week.
There were no new treasury bills issued; however, there were still US$65.7 million worth outstanding as of last night.
See also: How Low Can the Vietnamese Dong Go?
Energy news
South Korea’s OCI expands solar wafer production in Vietnam through US$78 million acquisition
South Korea’s OCI Holdings, through its subsidiary OCI TerraSus, has acquired a 65 percent stake in Elite Solar Power Wafer, a company constructing a 2.7GW solar wafer plant in Vietnam, according to an announcement from the group → view source.
The total project is worth roughly US$120 million, with production of Non-PFE wafers scheduled to start early next year following test operations.
Of note, Vietnam’s solar manufacturing industry has come under scrutiny in recent years by the US Department of Commerce for facilitating the circumvention of antidumping duties on a range of Chinese solar products.
OCI, however, says that all of the products it plans to make will be compliant with US regulations.
Read more about solar power in Vietnam →
F&B news
Thailand’s Central Plaza Hotel to exit Amazon Cafe venture on heavy competition
Thailand’s Central Plaza Hotel Pcl (CENTEL) has announced the dissolution of its Vietnam-based joint venture, ORC Coffee Passion Group Joint Stock Company, owners of coffee chain Amazon Cafe → view source.
This is the latest in a string of foreign coffee brands that have struggled to gain a foothold in the Vietnamese market – Gloria Jeans and NYDC to name but two — which can be challenging on the back of a deeply entrenched local coffee culture that sees good quality local products available at very low prices.
Specifically, a Vietnamese milk coffee purchased from a street vendor can cost as little as VND 15,000 or about US 60 cents.
Learn more about opening a cafe in Vietnam →
Food and beverage sector revenue reaches VND 406.1 trillion in the first half of 2025
Vietnam’s food and beverage sector earned VND 406.1 trillion or US$15.4 billion in the first half of 2025, a marginal rise from VND 403.9 trillion or US$15.3 billion a year earlier, according to iPOS.vn and reported by The Investor → view source.
Conversely, the number of F&B outlets fell 7.1 percent from end-2024 to 299,900, with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City both down over 11 percent, marking what iPOS.vn called a “second wave of industry shakeout.”
Among 830 businesses surveyed, 34.8 percent reported stable revenue and 19.2 percent saw growth above 5 percent, while 17.9 percent suffered revenue declines exceeding 20 percent.
Read more about Vietnam’s food and beverage industry →
Gold news
Vietnam to introduce gold import quota system, but limits tied to SBV policy goals
Vietnam’s central bank will begin issuing annual import and export quotas for gold starting October 10, 2025, under a new circular, VN Express has reported → view source.
However, annual quotas will be set based on monetary policy goals, domestic supply–demand conditions, and foreign reserve levels, the circular says.
This is noteworthy in that, in the past, the import of gold has been possible but only through the SBV.
It has, however, not done this for reasons related to monetary policy goals and foreign reserves levels, reasons that do not seem to have been resolved — the dong is down about 3 percent since the start of the year and looks to still be under some pressure (see above).
National gold trading floor to be tested in three stages
A national gold trading floor is to be tested in three stages, according to Dao Xuan Tuan, Director of the Foreign Exchange Management Department, VN Express has reported → view source.
The first phase will cover physical gold trading within the domestic market, involving licensed banks and gold enterprises.
Deputy Governor Pham Tien Dung said it will initially focus on raw gold, aiming to improve transparency and control over imports and production.
Later stages will add gold bars, followed by fund certificates and derivative products linked to international markets.
The plan follows May 2025 directives from General Secretary To Lam to explore a national gold exchange or include gold on the commodities exchange.
Read more about Vietnam’s gold market →
Human resources
Vietnam’s average monthly salary up 9.4 percent year-on-year in Q3 2025
Vietnam’s average monthly wage reached VND 8.37 million or US$318 in the third quarter of 2025, up 9.44 percent from a year earlier, according to the latest data from the National Statistics Office → view source.
The figure marks a steady improvement from VND 8.2 million in Q2 and VND 8.3 million in Q1.
Read more about the average wage in Vietnam →
Stock market news
Second failed trade on Vietnam stock exchange reported post-prefunding requirement removal
VNDirect Securities was forced to pay for shares on behalf of a foreign institutional investor, United Sustainable Asia Top-50 Fund from Singapore, which failed to settle two stock purchases on time, Tuoi Tre has reported → view source.
The trade involved 66,300 shares of MWG worth over VND 5.2 billion (US$200,000) and 362,900 shares of MBB worth over VND 9.8 billion (US$377,000), totalling more than VND 15 billion (US$577,000).
This is the second time this has happened with Vietcap Securities covering a nearly VND 4 billion (US$154,000) trade for Aegon Custody B.V. from the Netherlands in 2024.
This follows on from changes to Vietnam’s securities regulations, specifically Circular 68, which became effective from late 2024 and removed the requirement for foreign institutional investors to prepay for share purchases.
This change was made largely to satisfy FTSE Russell requirements for an upgrade of the local bourse from frontier to emerging market status; an upgrade, it was announced last week, would go ahead in September of next year, pending a review in March.
Learn more about the Vietnam stock exchange →
VN-Index jumps, foreign traders continue to net-sell US$130.2 million
Over the last five trading sessions to the close of business on October 16, foreign investors net-sold US$130.2 million worth of HCMC Stock Exchange stocks.
This brings the total net sold by foreign traders for the year-to-date to just under US$4.24 billion.
The VN-Index closed Thursday at 1,716.47 points, up 50.38 points since last Thursday.
Foreign trader activity, last five trading days
| Buy | Sell | Change | ||||
| Date | VND | US$ | VND | US$ | VND | US$ |
| 10/10 | 3,892 | $147.79 | 4,354 | $165.33 | -462 | -$17.54 |
| 13/10 | 4,377 | $166.20 | 5,625 | $213.59 | -1,248 | -$47.39 |
| 14/10 | 4,230 | $160.62 | 5,646 | $214.39 | -1,416 | -$53.77 |
| 15/10 | 3,314 | $125.84 | 4,150 | $157.59 | -836 | -$31.74 |
| 16/10 | 7,467 | $283.54 | 6,935 | $263.34 | 532 | $20.20 |
| Total | 23,280 | $884.00 | 26,710 | $1,014.24 | -3,430 | -$130.24 |
VND = billions; US$ = millions; source: HSX
See also: Explainer: What’s Driving Vietnam’s Stock Market Rally?
The week ahead
There are a handful of events coming up this week.
For more information, see: Doing Business in Vietnam: Events Directory 2025.