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Vietnam's emerging startup scene is proving to be a case of right place, right time for local and international venture capital funds. Eleven “rising star” startups in Southeast Asia in September converged at the “500 Startups Demo Day” in Ho Chi Minh City to spotlight the dynamic technology landscape in Vietnam and broader Southeast Asia. “There’s more hype about Vietnam’s tech scene now than ever before, as this is an exciting time for Vietnam overall,” said Mr. Eddie Thai, General Partner at 500 Startups Vietnam. “Vietnam is fast becoming an attractive destination for local and international venture capital funds, who are hoping to capture the growing consumer opportunities and leverage the Vietnamese entrepreneurial spirit.” Rising appetite Vietnam’s startup sector is growing at a rapid clip despite the global economic slump and is closing the gap with regional leaders. In only two years, it has made a big leap … [Read more...] about Startups catching the eye

The State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) has instructed local banks to better control risks in corporate bond investment, especially bonds of real estate firms. According to the SBV, after reviewing the business performance of banks in the first half of this year, it saw the corporate bond investment of some banks facing risks as the ratio of such investment was high and is continuing to rise. Notably, the amount of bond investment in construction and real estate firms at some banks accounted for a large proportion of the banks’ total assets while the real estate market has not yet recovered firmly and the business performance of realty firms still faces many difficulties. In addition, some banks also invested in bonds with other purposes, such as to restructure debts of issuers, which have high risks. In order to ensure the safety of the banking system and limit risks in corporate bond investment, under the direction, SBV required banks to review their internal regulations related to … [Read more...] about VN banks warned about risks of real estate corporate bonds

At the event (Photo: Saigon Times) - Many banks and finance companies have proactively adopted technologies to provide digital financial services, Nguyen Hoang Minh, a senior central bank official said. Speaking at a conference organised by Saigon Times newspaper in Ho Chi Minh City on December 5, Deputy Director of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV)’s Branch in HCM City, said: “The country has seen a growth in population and internet and smart phone users, and banks and finance companies should take advantage to further develop digital services such as mobile and internet payments.” VNA … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s financial sector embraces digital era: conference

Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Steelmaker Hoa Phat Group targets revenue of 55 trillion VND (around 2.42 billion USD) and after-tax profit of 8.05 trillion VND (354.6 million USD) in 2018. The information was released at the group’s annual shareholder meeting held recently in Hanoi with the participation of 368 shareholders, who together hold 77 percent of ordinary shares. Hoa Phat’s management board chairman Tran Dinh Long said the group sees 2018 as a crucial year. The firm would take drastic measures to ensure the progress of the Hoa Phat Dung Quat steel and iron production complex and make it the priority target for this year, Long said. He added that the management board had carefully considered the targets before submitting them to the meeting. The group would implement many big projects this year in their main steel business. In addition, it would be alert for changes in the material market. In other sectors such as agriculture, … [Read more...] about Steelmaker Hoa Phat Group targets 2.42 billion USD in revenue

A garment-textile factory in Vietnam (Photo: VNA)   Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Improvement Programme has helped 82 garment-textile and footwear factories in Vietnam invest 37 million USD in efficient use of resources, thus saving 30 million USD per year, according to the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Over the last three years, the programme, initiated by the IFC – a member of the World Bank Group, has also helped those factories save a total of 4 million cu.m. of water and reduce 303,000 tonnes of green house gas emission a year. Effective use of resources and performance improvement have enabled Vietnamese businesses to attract new customers who seek suppliers meeting global sustainable standards. Country manager for Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia of the IFC Kyle Kelhofer said the measures not only save production costs but also raise competitiveness of domestic firms in the global supply chain. Vietnam is currently among the 10 largest garment-textile … [Read more...] about Firms benefit from programme on efficient use of resources