Vietnam Morning News For May 29

Vietnam set to make key ruling on country’s biggest-ever fraud case
A Vietnamese court is set to make a key ruling in the country’s biggest-ever fraud case, in a trial that has spotlighted Vietnam’s ability to tackle financial crime at a time when foreign banks are heeding government calls to invest.
— Reuters

Vietnam’s Viettel, partners to launch Myanmar’s first 4G network
Vietnam’s military-run telecommunication company Viettel Group and its partners will launch the first 4G mobile network in Myanmar next month to cash in on the Southeast Asian country’s fast-growing economy, the Vietnamese government said on Monday.
— DealStreetAsia

Local paper industry faces input cost challenges
Viet Nam’s paper industry has been facing difficulties in production due to the high cost of imported raw materials, though production has been stable since the start of this year.
— Bizhub

Vietnam to offload nearly 18% stake in ceramics firm Viglacera
In continuation with its divestment exercise, the Vietnam government plans to offload a 17.97 per cent stake in ceramics and building material corporation Viglacera on the Hanoi Stock Exchange by June.
— DealStreetAsia

Agriculture to bring Vietnam more foreign investment
Vietnam’s widespread use of smartphones & apps and its commitment to shorten more than half of the existing agricultural administrative procedures, means that many foreign firms will be looking for opportunities in the country’s agricultural sector.
— Fresh Plaza

Sugar association seeks help against corn syrup imports
A group of sugar producers has asked for Government intervention as the industry struggles to compete with corn syrup imports.
— Viet Nam News

Sharp drop in Vietnamese watermelon exports to China
Vietnam has enjoyed abundant sunshine and rainfall in 2018, and the watermelon production increased as a result of these conditions. This is precisely the time when Chinese buyers visit Vietnam to purchase large volumes of watermelons, but this year their number was small.
— Fresh Plaza

Building materials market maintains stability
The domestic building materials market has remained stable and is growing well in the first months of 2018, meeting consumer demand, the Ministry of Construction (MoC) said.
— Viet Nam News

E-commerce development bases on SMS solution
Customer services by using SMS play an important role in building consumer confidence with e-commerce, said Dang Hoang Hai, director of the Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency (VECITA) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
— The Hanoi Times

F&B firms strive to hit safety goals
With a market of 93 million people, Viet Nam has seen rapidly growing consumer demand for food and beverage (F&B) products, offering great opportunities for the sector to expand, experts have said.
— Bizhub

Banks lower interest rates to restructure capital sources
Many banks have reduced the interest rate for short-term deposits while raising the rate for long-term deposits to restructure capital sources.
— The Hanoi Times

Thua Thien-Hue attracts US$87mn in 5 months
Thua Thien-Hue province attracted 11 projects worth nearly VND2 trillion (US$87.1 million) in the first five months of this year.
— Bizhub

Huge opportunities in Vietnam for M&A
Vietnam is considered one of the most important destinations for foreign firms those are looking for investment opportunities through mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the ASEAN region.
— The Hanoi Times

Foreign investment funds suffer from stock market slump
The performance of foreign investment funds in Vietnam’s stock market has been pessimistic in the past two months due to the slump of the market.
— The Hanoi Times

Vietnam’s TTC Hospitality opens first hotel in Cambodia
Thanh Thanh Cong Tourist Joint Stocks Company (TTC Hospitality – HOSE: VNG), a member of Vietnam’s TTC Group, has officially opened its TTC Hotel Premium – Angkor in the Cambodian city of Siem Reap.
— Tuoi Tre

Hanoi attracts 860 million USD in FDI in five months
The capital city of Hanoi attracted 860 million USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first five months of 2018, said Director of the municipal Department of Planning and Investment Nguyen Manh Quyen.
— VietnamPlus

Vietnam’s Gone From Traders’ Favorite to Bear Market
Vietnam’s stock market, which only last month traded at a record high, has entered a bear market.
— Bloomberg

New rules on processing goods for foreign traders
The Vietnamese Government has issued a decree stipulating that Vietnamese traders are allowed to process legal goods for foreign merchants, excluding the commodities banned or temporarily suspended from export and import.
— VietnamPlus

VinaCapital-backed CenLand to list 50 million shares on HoSE
VinaCapital and Dragon Capital-backed real estate brokerage firm CenLand plans to list 50 million shares, equivalent to VND500 billion ($22 million) of charter capital, on Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HoSE), according to the latest announcement on the stock exchange.
— DealStreetAsia

Australia-Vietnam forum increases capacity for female entrepreneurs
The Australia – Vietnam Capacity Building Forum for Women Entrepreneurs in Agrifood Business opened in Sydney on May 28, offering a chance for Vietnamese female entrepreneurs to have creative thinking and gain closer access to international standards.
— VietnamPlus

ROK-funded project to foster energy efficiency in Vietnam’s industry
The Republic of Korea’s government will provide 1.9 million USD in financial aid for a project promoting energy saving in Vietnam’s industrial sector.
— VietnamPlus

Vietnam an iodine deficient nation again
Doctors blame government’s decision to lift mandatory use of iodized salt in food processing.
— VnExpress

Why can’t PH do a Vietnam?
While the Philippines is mum on what moves it has taken to counter China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea, at least on the diplomatic front, Vietnam has been vocal in condemning China’s militarization of the disputed area.
— Inquirer.net

Bình Định province calls for S Korean investment
The central province of Bình Định introduced its potential to South Korean businesses on Monday, aiming to lure investment from the Northeast Asian nation.
— Viet Nam News

Vietnam Blockchain Summit to run in June
Nguyen Huu Tuan from the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s department of e-commerce and digital economy said alongside automation, artificial intelligence, and Internet of Things, blockchain technology will contribute significantly to the building of a digital economy and the 4.0 industrial revolution.
— VietnamNet Bridge

Partners Group-backed ISP in talks to buy Vietnam’s Canadian International School
International Schools Partnership Ltd. is in talks to invest in Canadian International School Vietnam, people with knowledge of the matter said, as foreign firms flock to Southeast Asian education deals.
— DealStreetAsia

Feature photo Nam-ho Park

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