This is a brief rundown of what is being reported today in Vietnam and about Vietnam in the international press.
It endeavours to highlight the narratives currently shaping the country’s economic, financial, and business news landscape.
Ed’s note: I’m always looking for new sources with unique insights. If you have anything to share, reach out: mark.barnes@the-shiv.com
Corporate bond activity
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that Vietnamese companies issued about VND 28.7 trillion (US$1.09 billion) of bonds between August 1 and 25.
Banks accounted for VND 23.9 trillion (US$907 million) of issuance, with some real estate companies offering interest rates as high as 13 percent.
It also notes VND 98.3 trillion (US$3.73 billion) of corporate bonds are due in the remaining months of 2026, with real estate accounting for the lion’s share with VND 56.4 trillion (US$2.14 billion). View source→
Ban on forced labour imports
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that Vietnam will ban imports of goods produced using forced labour from September 5.
The prohibition covers goods mined, produced or manufactured using forced labour at businesses or in countries and territories covered by Vietnam’s international commitments. View source→
*Note that this comes after the USTR announced it would be launching a 301 investigation into goods made with forced labour entering the US through third countries. It will be interesting to see if / how this is enforced / policed.
Buffalo meat imports
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that Vietnam imported about 112,000 tonnes of buffalo meat worth nearly US$498 million in the first seven months of 2026.
India remained Vietnam’s largest meat supplier, with shipments rising 26.5 percent by volume and 55.8 percent by value year-on-year. View source→
Proprietary trading sell-off
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that Vietnamese securities firms’ proprietary trading desks bought Novaland shares worth nearly VND 260 billion (US$9.9 million), alongside significant purchases of MBB, SBT and CTG, in August.
It does, however, note that overall they net sold VND 2.5 trillion (US$95 million) of shares, their largest monthly sell-off this year.
PYN Elite on stock market sell-off
VnExpress is reporting that PYN Elite Fund Portfolio Manager Petri Deryng has said rising interest rates are pushing Vietnamese investors to sell their stocks.
Twelve-month deposit rates have climbed to around 7-8 percent, with some banks offering more than 9 percent, increasing the appeal of savings over equities, the article says. View source→
Mobile internet speeds
Tuoi Tre is reporting that Vietnam ranked among the world’s top 10 for both mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds for the first time, according to Ookla’s July rankings.
Vietnam’s mobile internet ranking jumped 10 places to 10th globally, with median download speeds reaching 205.58 megabits per second. View source→
Thai F&B investment
The Investor is reporting that Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Foods will acquire a 76.57 percent stake in Vietnamese premium beverage producer Les Vergers Du Mekong for US$10.08 million. View source→
VN ready to partner SCO
VOV is reporting that Vietnam is ready to become a partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan made the announcement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Plus Summit in Kyrgyzstan on September 1. View source→
Vingroup Korean won bonds?
Bloomberg is reporting that Vingroup is preparing its first Korean won-denominated bond issuance as the Vietnamese conglomerate seeks to diversify its international funding sources.
The company is considering a three-year private placement of up to KRW 400 billion (US$292 million), although the terms have not been finalised. View source→
*It’s interesting that Vingroup is looking offshore for relatively small amounts of money (its borrowings at the end of last year were worth about US$12.85 billion) — if you only save a couple of percentage points of interest, and then you factor in currency fluctuations, hedging costs, and the process of raising money in a new market, you have to wonder what really makes this a worthwhile endeavour.
Bamboo Airways down to 1 aircraft
Dan Tri is reporting that Bamboo Airways’ operating fleet fell to just one aircraft by the end of August, down from eight at the beginning of 2026.
Planespotters data show Vietjet now operates 107 aircraft and Vietnam Airlines 97, highlighting the growing concentration of Vietnam’s airline market, the article notes. View source→
Yesterday’s news roundup
In yesterday’s news: ForEx regs overseas investments SOEs, VinFast GSM 5m unit agreement, US cotton shipments to VN, Samsung semiconductor build-out VN, Tay Ninh data centre proposal, Manufacturing moving back to China?, MY-VN cooking oil recycling project, Toyota expansion, EU food safety warnings VN produce. Read more→