Want to be in the loop?
subscribe to
our notification
Business News
VIỆT NAM POSTS TRADE SURPLUS OF $4.67 BILLION IN FIRST FIVE MONTHS
Thanks to a strong surge in exports, the trade balance for the second half of May posted a surplus of $2.94 billion, raising the total trade surplus for the first five months of this year to $4.67 billion.

Loading goods in Hải Phòng Port in the North of Việt Nam. — Photo congluan.vn
HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s total import-export turnover from May 16 to 31 reached nearly US$42.5 billion, marking a 17.6 per cent increase compared to the first half of the month.
Thanks to a strong surge in exports, the trade balance for this period posted a surplus of $2.94 billion, raising the total trade surplus for the first five months of this year to $4.7 billion.
Overall, in the first five months, Việt Nam’s total import-export turnover reached $355.8 billion, an increase of 15.7 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.
Of this, the foreign direct investment (FDI) sector continued to dominate with $243.5 billion, up 17.3 per cent, while domestic enterprises recorded $112.3 billion, up 12.2 per cent.
Export turnover in the second half of May reached $22.7 billion, a significant increase of 34.4 per cent compared to the first half of the month.
The growth was mainly driven by product groups such as electronics, machinery, textiles and wood. Notably, steel exports more than doubled, with a sharp increase of 114.8 per cent.
By the end of May, the total export value had reached $180.23 billion, an increase of 14 per cent year-on-year. The FDI sector alone contributed over $130 billion, up 15 per cent, accounting for more than 72 per cent of the country’s total export value.
On the import side, goods imported during the second half of May amounted to $19.76 billion, a 2.9 per cent increase compared to the first half.
Significant increases were seen in product groups including machinery and equipment, electronic components, liquefied natural gas and corn. However, imports of many raw materials declined, including crude oil, fabric, chemicals and wheat.
Total import turnover for the first five months reached $175.6 billion, up 17.5 per cent. — BIZHUB/VNS
Source: VNS
Related News
VIỆT NAM'S INDUSTRIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET MAINTAINS STRONG MOMENTUM
Industry experts have forecast that Việt Nam's industrial real estate market will continue its positive trend over the next 12–24 months, with solid support from high-quality foreign direct investment (FDI), regional production shifts, and significant nationwide infrastructure projects currently underway. In the first six months of the year, the industrial real estate sector in Việt Nam saw robust growth driven by a substantial influx of FDI.
VIETNAM TARGETS 50,000 AI-SKILLED PROFESSIONALS FOR KEY SECTORS BY 2030
Vietnam is stepping up efforts to build an AI-ready workforce, targeting 50,000 skilled professionals and 10,000 advanced specialists by 2030 to strengthen strategic industries. Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau signed Decision No.1528/QD-TTg, dated August 11, approving the National Programme on Artificial Intelligence Human Resource Development through 2030, with a vision to 2035.
HO CHI MINH CITY OUTLINES PLANS TO START FOUR MORE METRO LINES
Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee plans to begin construction on four metro lines by the end of 2026, which is part of the plan to complete 255km of metro lines by 2030. The first line, which connects Binh Duong New City with Suoi Tien, covers a length of over 32km, with an estimated investment of $2.18 billion. The line will pass through seven wards.
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF INNOVATION AND GREEN TRANSFORMATION
Vietnam's new vision on strategic foreign direct investment means that the work of Vinacontrol Group in terms of technology assessment is deemed more vital than ever. Vinacontrol Group is currently one of only two organisations nationwide designated by the Ministry of Science and Technology to conduct technology assessment under Decision No.29/2023/QD-TTg, placing it at the centre of a process that increasingly determines whether an investment project can proceed, be adjusted, or be extended.
VIỆT NAM SEAFOOD EXPORTS COULD TOP $12 BILLION DESPITE GATHERING HEADWINDS
Seafood exports are expected to top US$12 billion this year, but, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, the industry will have to contend with four major challenges: higher tariffs, stricter traceability requirements, rising input costs, and intensifying competition in key markets. VASEP said seafood exports in the first seven months of the year were up 11.5 per cent year-on-year at $6.78 billion.
DUNG QUẤT EZ, QUẢNG NGÃI IPS DRAW NEARLY US$19.4 BLN
The Dung Quất Economic Zone and Quảng Ngãi industrial parks have so far attracted 441 projects worth around US$19.4 billion, according to the Dung Quất Economic Zone and Quảng Ngãi Industrial Parks Authority (DEZA). The DEZA now has 350 projects run by 293 companies, employing nearly 81,700 workers, while about 20,000 additional experts, engineers and workers are building mega projects, according to data presented at a workshop marking the authority’s 30th anniversary recently.
























