Negative net exports which is a trade deficit

Imports rose by 13.6 percent to $215.59 billion, according to data from the General Statistic Office. In the same period last year Vietnam had run up a trade deficit of $3.31 billion. Mobile phones and components remained the top export item, with their value going up 13.1 percent to $33.7 billion. Electronics, laptops and components were second at $31.7 billion, followed by equipment and spare parts at $24.9 billion. Garment and footwear exports jumped by nearly 20 percent each to $22.1 billion and $14.1 billion. The U.S. continued to be Vietnam’s biggest export market with its purchases going up by 24.3 percent to $67.1 billion. China followed with imports of $30.4 billion. It was Vietnam’s top trading partner with two-way turnover of $103.1 billion. Exports to other other markets rose by 13-27 percent. The trade surplus is low and not very likely to be sustained, the GSO warned. … [Read more...] about Vietnam enjoys trade surplus following double-digit export growth

The EU is Vietnam’s second-largest trading partner and an export market that witnessed the euro fall below $1 for the first time in nearly 20 years on July 29. Euro-dollar parity threatens the nation’s exports, source: freepik.com Pham Van Viet, chairman of Viet Thang Jeans, the top 5 leading fashion companies in Indochina, said that the immediate impact on textile and garment export enterprises is a decrease in value. All customers in Europe pay in euros and Vietnamese businesses that receive money back home must exchange it for USD. Now that the euro has fallen to the level of the US dollar, the export value of each shipment will decrease accordingly. “Profits of businesses are low because input costs such as gasoline, input material prices, and labour costs have all increased, now the plunge in euro prices will drag profits down even more,” he told VIR. Viet added that the depreciation of the euro shows that the European market is currently unstable, and … [Read more...] about Euro-dollar parity threatens the nation’s exports

SINGAPORE/MUMBAI -- Adverse weather across top rice suppliers in Asia, including the biggest exporter India, is threatening to reduce the output of the world's most important food staple and stoke food inflation that is already near record highs. Rice has bucked the trend of rising food prices amid bumper crops and large inventories at exporters over the past two years, even as COVID-19, supply disruptions and more recently the Russia-Ukraine conflict made other grains costlier. But inclement weather in exporting countries in Asia, which accounts for about 90% of the world's rice output, is likely to change the price trajectory, traders and analysts said. "There is an upside potential for rice prices with the possibility of production downgrades in key exporting countries," said Phin Ziebell, agribusiness economist at National Australia Bank. "An increase in rice prices would add to already major challenges for food affordability in parts of the developing world," Ziebell told … [Read more...] about Analysis: Global rice supplies at risk as harsh weather hits top exporters

Illustrative image Benefits and worries Referring to the increasing value of the US dollar, Mr. Nguyen Chi Trung, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gia Dinh Group, said that big exporters such as Gia Dinh shoes will certainly benefit as they will have more revenue to reduce the pressure of input costs which have been increasing continuously over the last months. Mr. Trung cited that the previous exchange rate was about VND22,600 for one US dollar and when an enterprise exported US$1 million worth, it could earn about VND22.6 billion. Now, if the exchange rate is anchored at VND23,900 for one US dollar than the figure will be about VND23.9 billion. It is true that there will be an immediate benefit to be seen by many export groups. However, according to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hong, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Textile and Garment Embroidery Association, in general when the dollar appreciates it will be seen as favorable for many exporters, including textile and garment … [Read more...] about Rising inflation causing concern for export businesses

MDF production line at Thanh Thanh Dat MDF JSC's factory in Ha Tinh province. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - While many products exported to the UK enjoyed strong increases thanks to the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement ( UKVFTA ), Vietnam’s timber industry is facing difficulties in expanding in this market, requiring manufacturers and exporters to change their business strategies. In fact, Vietnam’s wood industry is seeing declining sales overseas. The export value in July was estimated at 1.41 billion USD, down 5.5% against June and 1.6% year-on-year, according to a report of the General Department of Forestry under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). This was the second month that the export of wood and timber products decelerated. Earlier, figures from the General Department of Customs showed the export turnover of wood and wood products reached 1.4 billion USD in June, down nearly 11% year-on-year. Ending July, wood and wood products were … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s timber industry urged to seek new opportunities in UK

In long term, transforming the higher education system will be key to boosting Vietnam’s productivity and helping achieve its goal of becoming a high-income country by 2045. Vietnam’s GDP growth is forecast to surge from an estimated 2.6% in 2021 to 7.5% in 2022, with backing from resilient manufacturing and a robust rebound in services. Overview of the event. Photo: Nguyen Tung Country Director for the World Bank in Vietnam Carolyn Turk revealed the figures at the launch of its bi-annual economic outlook for Vietnam titled “Taking Stock: Educate to Grow” today [August 8]. According to Turk, the global economy has been experiencing a series of very large and negative shocks, including ongoing Covid-19-related disruptions and supply shocks associated with the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In this context, Vietnam’s economy has shown “relative resilience and staged a strong rebound after last year’s Covid-19 induced slowdown,” Turk said. Vietnam’s economic … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s GDP growth set to expand by 7.5% in 2022: World Bank

MDF production line at Thanh Thanh Dat MDF JSC's factory in Ha Tinh Province. — VNA/VNS Photo While many products exported to the UK enjoyed strong increases thanks to the UK-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), Viet Nam’s timber industry is facing difficulties in expanding in this market, requiring manufacturers and exporters to change their business strategies. In fact, Viet Nam’s wood industry is seeing declining sales overseas. The export value in July was estimated at US$1.41 billion, down 5.5 per cent against June and 1.6 per cent year-on-year, according to a report of the General Department of Forestry under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). This was the second month that the export of wood and timber products decelerated. Earlier, figures from the General Department of Customs showed the export turnover of wood and wood products reached $1.4 billion in June, down nearly 11 per cent year-on-year. Ending July, wood and wood products were … [Read more...] about Viet Nam’s timber industry urged to seek new opportunities in the UK

The UK-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), which officially took effect on May 1, 2021, has helped not only boost the bilateral trade between the two markets but also bring the door wide open for the investment of UK companies in Viet Nam. Viet Nam News talks to CEO of HSBC Viet Nam Tim Evans and Nitin Kapoor, Chairman and General Director of AstraZeneca Vietnam and Asia Area Frontier Markets, about their plans for business in Viet Nam. How is your company doing business in Viet Nam? How will the UKVFTA help expand your business here? Tim Evans, CEO of HSBC Vietnam Evans : HSBC has been the leading international bank operating in Viet Nam for more than 150 years. As a bank with trade finance in our DNA, our mission has always been to be a bridge between local companies looking to transact internationally and international companies looking to transact locally. We are a full-service bank that deals with domestic and international companies, financial institutions … [Read more...] about UKVFTA opens doors for UK businesses in Viet Nam

Illustrative photo Up till now there were nearly 50 listed enterprises reporting losses in the last quarter, of which nearly 20 enterprises lost over VND 100 bln. Surprisingly, the list of loss-making businesses has a presence in several securities companies which are all businesses that have recorded sudden profits in the previous quarter. According to statistics, the total pre-tax profit of the top 30 leading securities companies is only about VND 3,300 bln, which is down VND 3,000 bln compared to the same period last year and about VND 5,000 bln lower than the fourth quarter of 2021. For instance, the Rong Viet Securities Company (VDSC) showed a net profit in the second quarter of 2021 at nearly VND 150 bln, but in the last quarter it suddenly reported a loss of nearly VND 234 bln. In the first six months, VDSC net loss after tax was VND 129 bln, while in the same period last year it showed a profit of VND 247 bln. Similarly, the financial report just released by APEC … [Read more...] about Domestic securities companies face losses

As Vietnam steps into the post-pandemic era, experiences and learnings from the pandemic serve as a reminder of the importance of digital transformation and its crucial technology component. Eunjung Han, consultant at Rouse Legal Vietnam and vice chair of the Digital Sector Committee of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam Despite COVID-19’s negative economic and social impact, Vietnam remains an attractive destination to European investors. According to the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) 2021 White Book, Vietnam’s stable macro-economic climate, with inflation in the single digits, continues to increase investor confidence in the country’s trade and investment environment. Only adding to that, the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is paving the way for continued foreign direct investment (FDI) from the EU and is viewed as a means for shared recovery and economic rebound. As the first comprehensive FTA between the EU and a developing country in … [Read more...] about EVFTA underpinning growth in Vietnamese tech market