Business News

The signing of multiple trade cooperation agreements between Việt Nam and Middle Eastern countries late last year has opened up new opportunities for Vietnamese goods to enter the halal market, creating strong momentum and prospects for Vietnamese businesses, particularly those operating in agriculture. According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phùng Đức Tiến, products entering the halal market — which serves a quarter of the world’s population — must comply with Islamic laws, particularly for items such as food and cosmetics.

Việt Nam’s industrial sector has shown impressive signs of revival, driving growth in trade, consumption and exports to reinforce the foundations for sustainable economic development. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s report, Index of Industrial Production (IIP) in the second quarter increased by 8.8 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

Việt Nam’s stock market ended the final trading week of June 2025 on a positive note, with the VN-Index climbing to its highest level in more than three years despite persistent geopolitical uncertainty and cautious investor sentiment. For the week, the VN-Index advanced by 22.09 points, equivalent to a gain of 1.64 per cent, to close at 1,371.44 points — the highest since March 2022.

Games published by Vietnamese studios generated around US$315 million in revenue in 2024, according to GameGeek, a platform connecting Việt Nam’s gaming ecosystem. In just the first half of 2025, this figure has reached at least $214.85 million. If the current growth trend continues, total revenue for 2025 is projected to exceed $430 million, representing a 36.4 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

Việt Nam’s automotive market is seeing a strong inflow of imported vehicles, with the total value of completely built-up (CBU) auto imports surpassing US$2 billion as of mid-June. However, amid rising supply and stagnant demand, the industry is facing continued inventory pressure and widespread price cuts. Data from the General Department of Customs shows that 96,264 CBU vehicles were imported into Việt Nam from January to June 15, with a total value exceeding $2 billion. 

Southeast Asia’s total e-commerce gross merchandise volume (GMV) reached $145.2 billion in 2024, including platform and non-platform transactions, according to a report released by Momentum Works on June 26. The report revealed that platform-based e-commerce in the region reached $128.4 billion in GMV in 2024, representing 12 per cent on-year growth.

Việt Nam’s domestic petrol market remained broadly stable in H1 2025, despite challenging global geopolitical conditions, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT). Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên chaired a conference on Wednesday in Hà Nội to review petrol supply in the first half of the year and outline priorities for the remaining six months.

The majority of Vietnamese businesses expect intra-ASEAN trade to grow following the announcement of US tariffs, according to the 2025 UOB (United Overseas Bank) Business Outlook Study released on June 25. Following the US announcement of 46 per cent reciprocal tariffs in April, Vietnamese businesses have been taking steps to manage the impact.