TRADE REVENUE RISES 22.2% IN JAN–FEB

Workers assemble electronic components at a production line in a manufacturing plant in Vietnam - PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – Vietnam’s total import-export revenue reached US$155.7 billion in the first two months of the year, up 22.2% from a year earlier, with a trade deficit of US$2.98 billion, according to the National Statistics Office.

A report released on March 6 showed exports totaled US$76.36 billion in January–February, up 18.3% year-on-year, while imports rose 26.3% to US$79.34 billion.

Foreign-invested enterprises remained the main driver of exports. The sector, including crude oil, recorded US$60.4 billion in export revenue, up 30.1% and accounting for 79.1% of total exports.

Exports from the domestic sector declined 12% year-on-year to US$15.96 billion.

Thirteen export items posted revenue exceeding US$1 billion, accounting for nearly 80% of the country’s total export value. Processed industrial goods made up 89.8% of total exports.

On the import side, production materials accounted for US$74.67 billion, or 94.1% of total imports, reflecting demand for manufacturing inputs.

Imports by the foreign-invested sector rose 42.2%, indicating expansion in investment and production activities.

In February alone, total trade revenue reached US$67.16 billion, down 24.1% from January but 5.1% higher than a year earlier.

The United States remained the largest export market, with shipments estimated at US$23.8 billion. China was the biggest source of imports, valued at US$31.9 billion.

Faster import growth pushed the trade balance into deficit in the first two months of 2026, compared with a surplus of US$1.77 billion in the same period last year.

The domestic sector posted a trade deficit of US$6.5 billion, while the foreign-invested sector recorded a trade surplus of US$3.52 billion.

Source: The Saigon Times