Business News

Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee issued Decision No.3777/QD-UBND on June 24 on the establishment and promulgation of operating regulations for high-tech agricultural zones in the city. Seven high-tech agricultural zones include the Ho Chi Minh City high-tech agricultural zone with an area of 88.17 ha; the Can Gio high-tech agricultural zone with an area of 89.74 ha; the Cu Chi high-tech agricultural zone with an area of 23.3 ha.

After three years of preparation, AP Beverage Trading Production, a Vietnamese-owned enterprise, announced its entry into the beverage market in early June, through the operation of a manufacturing plant in Dong Nai province. The initiative, with a total investment of approximately $80 million, focuses on producing bottled non-alcoholic beverages with the goal of establishing 500,000 sales points nationwide by 2030 and expanding its product presence to five international markets in the coming years.

The manufacturing sector ended the first half of 2026 on a firm footing, with sustained growth in output and new orders, even as supply-chain pressures and employment weakness persisted, according to S&P Global. The S&P Global Vietnam Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) posted 51.8 in June, down from 52.8 in May but still above the 50-point threshold, signalling a continued improvement in the health of the sector, S&P Global said in a news release on July 1.

As Việt Nam looks to tap the potential of its marine economy, logistics is increasingly emerging as a key driver of growth for coastal regions. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the marine economy currently contributes around 50 per cent of the country's gross regional domestic product (GRDP), with many coastal localities ranking among the nation's top performers in terms of income per capita.

The banking sector is expected to post another quarter of profit growth in the second quarter of 2026, supported by solid credit expansion, although earnings are likely to become increasingly uneven across lenders as pressure on net interest margins and asset quality persists. A recent report by MB Securities (MBS) showed that profit after tax at the banks under its coverage is forecast to increase by around 15 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter.

Việt Nam's fruit and vegetable export turnover reached US$3.65 billion in the first six months of 2026, up 17.8 per cent year-on-year, making the sector one of the fastest-growing export groups in the agriculture and environment sector. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE), fruit and vegetable exports were estimated at $2.18 billion in the second quarter.

The Vietnamese Government has set a target of 11.9 per cent GDP growth in the second half of 2026, betting on investment, production, reform and digital transformation to achieve double-digit economic growth for the full year. The target was set out in Resolution 168/NQ-CP issued on June 27, which updates the country's growth scenario and outlines key policy measures for the remaining months of 2026.

Import-export turnover through border gates in the northern province of Lào Cai rose by more than 60 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2026, driven by a sharp increase in agricultural exports, particularly durian. Export value reached US$636 million during the six-month period, up 62 per cent from a year earlier and accounting for more than half of the province's total border trade. Agricultural products remained the dominant export category, making up over 90 per cent of outbound shipments.