This is a brief rundown of what is was reported over the weekend 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.
Windfarm awarded Vingroup not Germany’s PNE
Reuters is reporting that Vietnam authorities have selected VinEnergo, a newly established subsidiary of Vingroup, to develop a 750 megawatt wind power project in Gia Lai province.
German renewable energy firm PNE, backed by Morgan Stanley Infrastructure, said the decision was unexpected after working on the project since 2019 and investing millions of dollars.
Sources said authorities raised concerns about PNE’s financial commitments, including requests for unexpected guarantees and pre-depositing funds in Vietnamese bank accounts.
The approved phase involves an investment of VND 48.3 billion (about US$1.83 million).
Ed.’s notes: VN government still rolling the dice on Vingroup – company marred by huge debts with EV arm burning through cash. See: Vingroup’s Q4 2025 Financial Report: Higher Revenue, Higher Leverage
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Vingroup lake project
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that Vingroup has said it will fund the construction of two water regulation lakes in Hanoi.
The company said total estimated funding is VND 650 billion (about US$24.7 million), covering construction, installation and equipment, while site clearance costs will be funded by the city budget.
Ed.’s notes: Vingroup spread very thin. A lot of projects on the burner.
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Q1 inflation expectations
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that the State Bank of Vietnam has released a first-quarter 2026 survey showing economists expect average inflation of 3.93 percent in 2026, up from 3.31 percent in 2025.
The survey, conducted from January 6 to January 26, forecasts inflation of 4.01 percent in 2027, 4.10 percent in 2028, and 4.34 percent in 2029.
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Mercedes dealer land sale on poor performance
Dan Tri is reporting that Mercedes dealer Haxaco has said it will seek shareholder approval to sell a 6,282 square metre Ho Chi Minh City land plot after profits fell to the lowest level in more than a decade in 2025.
Management attributed weak results to slow auto market recovery, intensifying competition, large inventories, heavy discounting, and cautious buyers facing high ownership costs and loan interest rates.
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Chinese car sales in VN 2025
Nguoi Lao Dong is reporting that despite higher imports, sales of Chinese-branded cars in Vietnam reached only 19,103 units in 2025, up 26 percent from 2024.
MG led Chinese brand sales with 9,601 units, down from 13,000 in 2024, followed by BYD with 3,718 units, Omoda with 1,389, and Geely with 1,216.
Total Chinese car sales were roughly 20,000 units, far below nearly 50,000 imports, leaving large inventories and reflecting weak demand for passenger cars.
Ed.’s notes: NB: Where Chinese car sales data came from is vague – Not clear that this is accurate.
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Car production increases
Vietnamnet is reporting that Vietnam produced about 56,200 domestically assembled vehicles in January 2026, the highest monthly output on record, up 2.7 percent from December and 48.5 percent year on year.
Vehicle imports reached 14,606 units valued at US$385 million, down slightly from December but more than double January 2025 levels in both volume and value.
Ed.’s notes: This adds to narrative around Vietnam’s car market having a signficant over supply. See: Why Vietnam’s Car Market No Longer Makes Sense.
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New bridge Nghe An unusable
VnExpress is reporting that a bridge in Nghe An Province, completed in mid 2025 at a cost of VND 15 billion (about US$600,000), remains unused because access roads at both ends have not been built.
Local authorities said delays stem from missing approved soil sources and unresolved safety issues involving power lines and utility poles.
Ed.’s notes: For thinking about outcomes of the push to position infrastructure as a key growth driver.
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Bridge connection Long Thanh airport
VnExpress is reporting that a design for the Cat Lai cable-stayed bridge linking Ho Chi Minh City with Dong Nai Province, as part of the Long Thanh Airport transport corridor, has been approved.
The eight-lane bridge is intended to connect northern Ho Chi Minh City with Dong Nai and Long Thanh International Airport, easing congestion on existing highways and expressways.
Ed.’s notes: Adds to ongoing discussion re: connectivity issues with the new airport.
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Op-ed: Decree 46 development process
VnExpress is carrying an opinion piece that argues the core problem with Decree 46, which added food safety procedures at the border that caused significant customs delays, was in policy design, not execution, citing its immediate effect, uniform mandates, weak guidance, and absence of a proper regulatory impact assessment.
The author frames modern policy as system design, requiring tool choice, transition periods, capacity assessment, and testing, rather than issuing administrative orders.
It concludes that future decrees should require independent impact assessments, phased implementation, risk-based targeting, pilots, and automatic adjustment mechanisms before nationwide rollout.
Ed.’s notes: A good, solid problem statement wouldn’t go astray either – it’s still not clear what problem Decree 46 was supposed to solve.
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Ride-hailing market share
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that market research from Mordor Intelligence shows Xanh SM held 51.5 percent of Vietnam’s four-wheel ride-hailing market by gross merchandise value in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Grab ranked second with 42.64 percent market share, while Be held 5.86 percent, as the total market reached US$490.7 million and 133.31 million trips.
Ed.’s notes: Be interesting to see an ROI calculation for all three.
GSM revenue reported in the article corresponds with related party transactions in Vingroup financial statements, which would include the sale of vehicles to GSM from VinFast (Vingroup).
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Real estate interest rates at state-owned banks
Tuoi Tre is reporting that state-owned commercial banks in Vietnam have raised real estate lending rates to near 14 percent, well above consumer and business loan rates.
State-owned banks prioritising macro stability and directing credit toward production, public investment, and lower risk sectors, the article says.
Ed.’s notes: State-owned banks = state-controlled = ability to influence retail interest rates without touching official interest rates / can pick and choose winners and losers.
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IP application approvals
VN Economy is reporting that Vietnam’s Intellectual Property Office said the number of industrial property protection applications processed in 2025 rose 76 percent year on year, while granted protection titles increased more than 55 percent.
The agency said rising application volumes are straining staffing and finances, with priorities in 2026 including faster processing, legal reforms, and expanded digitalisation.
Ed.’s notes: Quality versus quantity?
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CPV membership fees
An Ninh Tien Te is reporting that Vietnam’s Politburo has issued new party fee rules.
Members subject to compulsory social insurance must contribute 1 percent of the previous month’s salary used for social insurance calculations.
Retirees contribute 0.5 percent of their pension, students pay VND 5,000 per month (about US$0.19), and members abroad contribute 1 percent of monthly living allowances or fixed amounts.
Ed.’s notes: Just FYI.
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New VN airline fleet details
Travel Radar is reporting that Crystal Bay Airlines will launch operations in Vietnam with three Airbus A321 aircraft, focusing exclusively on international charter flights rather than domestic routes.
Crystal Bay Airlines said it will operate a hybrid leisure model, with most revenue coming from packaged tours sold by its parent group rather than ticket sales.
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Op-ed: Vietnam as regional leader vs Thailand – Cambodia perspective
The Khmer Times is carrying an op-ed arguing that Thailand is undermining its long-held role as mainland Southeast Asia’s investment hub due to prolonged political instability and confrontational foreign policy.
It cites decades of domestic turmoil and a 2025 military border conflict with Cambodia as key factors damaging investor confidence and regional trust.
The piece says these actions weaken Thailand’s diplomatic leadership and make the Mekong sub-region appear riskier, diverting capital elsewhere.
In contrast, Vietnam is presented as politically stable, trade-integrated, and geopolitically neutral, positioning it to fill the regional leadership vacuum.
Ed.’s notes: Needs to be considered in the context of who is saying what and why? Still, makes an interesting point / observation.
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Stock market Friday
the-shiv is reporting that the VN-Index closed at 1,943.60, down 25.67 points or 1.30 percent, with a total trading value of VND 21,069.27 billion or US$799.59 million, and foreign traders net-selling US$34.91 million worth of equities, Friday, according to the latest data from the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange → view source.
Exchange rates Friday
the-shiv is reporting that on February 6, in Vietnam, the black market US dollar buy rate was VND 27,250, and the sell rate was VND 27,320, a change of 600 and 620, respectively, for a mid-market rate of VND 27,285 (up 2.29 percent), according to prices quoted by Ty Gia USD.
Meanwhile, the State Bank of Vietnam’s central exchange rate was set at VND 25,065, while the Google Finance mid-market rate stood at VND 25,961.
Tourist arrivals from Asia
the-shiv is reporting that in January, Asia accounted for 1,804,109 tourist arrivals in Vietnam, an increase of 17.60 percent from December, according to the latest data from Vietnam’s General Department of Tourism.
Korea accounted for 489,669 tourist arrivals in January, up 26.00 percent compared to December.
Fresh milk production
the-shiv is reporting that Vietnam produced 145.79 million litres of fresh milk in January, down 5.71 percent from 154.61 million litres in December, according to the latest data from the National Statistics Office.
Year-to-date output reached 145.79 million litres by the end of January.
Coal production
the-shiv is reporting that Vietnam produced 3,916.25 thousand tons of coal in January, up 0.90 percent from 3,881.18 thousand tons in December, according to the latest data from the National Statistics Office.
Year-to-date output reached 3,916.25 thousand tons by the end of January.
Tourist arrivals
the-shiv is reporting that in January, Vietnam recorded 2,453,724 tourist arrivals in total, an increase of 21.40 percent from December, according to the latest data from Vietnam’s General Department of Tourism.
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Friday’s Vietnam news roundup
In Friday’s Vietnam news headlines: Trade remedies packaging, Pirate streaming site shut down, Trump project foreign buyers allowed, Loyalty market report, Gold smugglers sentenced, Xanh SM revenue / market share, Infrastructure quality impact FDI, New food safety regulations suspended, January CPI, Trade in January, FDI January, Industrial production January, ACV bad debts, US countervailing duties wood, Stock market Thursday, Exchange rates Thursday, Yesterday’s Vietnam news roundup, and more. Read the full roundup→