Business

The Government has directed provincial authorities to align their economic plans with a national target of at least 10 per cent GDP growth for 2026.

Vietnam’s export activity showed positive signs in early January, with fruit and vegetables standing out as shipments rose sharply ahead of the Lunar New Year or Tet holiday.

PM Pham Minh Chinh has issued a directive to ensure sufficient electricity supply for production and daily life in 2026-30, stressing that power shortages must not be allowed under any circumstances.

Vietravel Airlines is set to change its brand name after T&T Group became the carrier’s strategic shareholder, the airline said.

Danang City authorities have approved a plan to build a riverfront road linking the new free trade zone, with total investment of VND 1.38 trillion (about USD 52 million).

Vietnam’s biggest banks reported record deposit inflows and double-digit credit growth in 2025, strengthening their funding base as lending demand rebounded with the economic recovery.

Gia Lai Province has approved a 300-hectare industrial park project worth nearly VND 1.8 trillion, designed to develop under an ecological industrial park model.

Economic diplomacy has helped Vietnam expand export markets for agricultural produce, supporting growth despite global trade headwinds and deeper integration into global supply chains.

By 2025, Vietnam had trade relations with more than 230 markets and had signed 17 FTAs with 65 economies, placing it among the most active participants in bilateral and multilateral trade frameworks.

Apartment prices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City rose sharply in 2025, with prime projects recording gains of up to 30 per cent year on year, according to the Ministry of Construction.

Vietnam plans to export 7 million tonnes of rice in 2026, down from 8 million tonnes last year, with a gradual reduction to just 4 million tonnes by 2030, according to the Vietnam Food Association.

Google is preparing a major shift in its production strategy for its premium Pixel smartphone lineup, with Vietnam set to become a key manufacturing base, according to a report by Nikkei Asia.

Vietnam’s petrol prices rose on January 15 after five straight reductions, with RON 95 increasing by VND 150 per litre under the latest price adjustment.

Strong FDI inflows and record disbursement in 2025 have reinforced Vietnam’s position as a safe investment destination, with prospects for 2026 expected to remain highly positive, analysts say.

Ho Chi Minh City on January 15 formally broke ground on the Ben Thanh-Tham Luong metro line, a project stretching more than 11 km with a total investment of over VND 55 trillion (USD 2.12 billion).

Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Gia Lai is seeking investors for three large-scale wind power projects with a combined investment of more than VND 19 trillion (USD 720 million).

Authorities in Quang Ninh Province are considering turning Cai Lan Port into a tourism port, while the Con Ong and Hon Net ports are to be developed as multipurpose facilities.

Many Asian economies have tapped into foreign direct investment (FDI) to fuel economic growth, with Vietnam standing out as a notable success.

Standard Chartered has maintained a positive view of Vietnam’s economic outlook in 2026, although its growth forecast remains more cautious than the Government’s ambitious 10 per cent target.