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Out of nearly US$12 billion pledged by U.S. companies in Vietnam, only US$149 million has been committed to agricultural projects, representing a mere 1.35% of the total.

The VND120-trillion credit package for social housing development is facing sluggish disbursement, with just VND105 billion disbursed to date.

Germany and Vietnam have signed an agreement on official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam for the 2024-2025 period.

To alleviate traffic congestion in the southern gateway area of the city, HCMC plans to spend over VND3,700 billion constructing a new bridge that will connect Saigon South with District 1.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has continued not designating Vietnam as a currency manipulator, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) said on November 8.

The United Kingdom (UK) has unveiled an official development assistance (ODA) program as part of the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF), one of the largest science and technology collaboration initiatives between the UK and international partners. Part of the fund will be set aside for cooperation projects with Vietnam.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) has commenced an anti-dumping probe into aluminum extrusions and aluminum products imported from Vietnam.

The Government has submitted a proposal to extend the two-percentage-point reduction of the value-added tax (VAT) for certain goods and services until mid-2024.

Vietnam’s total foreign trade in the year to October had amounted to US$557.95 billion, with seven groups of export items generating export revenue of US$10 billion or above each.

Interest rates on loans in HCMC have declined significantly, with 63% of outstanding loans bearing rates below 9.75%, according to the State Bank of Vietnam’s HCMC branch.

A Dutch manufacturer of chip equipment has received approval to lease a factory at Saigon Hi-tech Park (SHTP) in HCMC with an initial investment of nearly US$5 million.

Vietnam’s rice export prices have surged to new highs, surpassing those of Thai rice, with some types of rice reaching US$117 per ton.

HCMC has seen a 3.2% decline in employment in October against the year-earlier period.

The largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) warehouse in Vietnam, capable of accommodating vessels of 100,000 DWT, has been inaugurated in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.

Fuel retailers are seeking assistance from the Government and the Ministry of Finance due to a significant reduction in commissions provided by major fuel trading companies.

The National Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has proposed allocating over VND5 trillion to support 30 provinces affected by disasters.

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce (VCCI) has proposed reducing value added tax (VAT) from 10% to 8% for all goods and services.

Deposits at commercial banks in the first eight months of this year soared by 9.68% against the end of 2022 to an all-time high of VND6.43 quadrillion.

Standard Chartered Bank has revised down its GDP growth forecast for Vietnam in 2023 to 5% from the earlier estimate of 5.4%.

Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth may expand around 5% in 2023, lower than the 6.5% target, while the inflation rate may be curbed at 3.5-4%, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the 6th session of the 15th National Assembly on October 23.

Remittances to HCMC in the first nine months of this year surged by 40% against the year-ago period to US$6.6 billion.

French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet expressed optimism about strengthening Vietnam-France relations, particularly in legal cooperation.

Although Vietnam’s economy showed signs of recovery in the third quarter of this year, particularly in industrial production and exports, a significant increase in headline inflation has emerged as a cause for concern, prompting scrutiny from policymakers.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has reiterated its commitment to assist Vietnam in various areas, including infrastructure development, human resource growth, healthcare, and climate change mitigation, according to JICA’s Vietnam office.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai has endorsed the Ministry of Finance’s proposal to extend a two-percentage-point reduction in value-added tax (VAT) until the first half of next year but it needs approval from the National Assembly.