Vietnam earned $1.1 billion from pepper exports in seven months, while its share of the US import market soared above 80%, leaving major competitors far behind.

Vietnam’s durian industry has seen a succession of positive developments from major markets, and output is projected to surge to 2.08 million tonnes.

From an economy barely one-eighth the size of the Philippines in 1990, Vietnam has surged ahead of its regional peer, moved closer to Thailand and narrowed its income gap with Indonesia. Yet the journey toward high-income status remains challenging.

Vietnam’s exports rose 22.4% in the first eight months of 2026, but a 35.3% jump in imports turned last year’s trade surplus into a $20.46 billion deficit.

Vietnamese manufacturers continued to turn out a high volume of new motorbikes in August despite a month-on-month decline, bringing domestic production in the first eight months of the year to nearly 2.8 million units.

Vietnam’s largest state-owned budget contributors are dominated by energy and resources companies, with Viettel emerging as the only technology player in the top 10.

Vietnam’s consumer price index rose 0.47% in August from the previous month, driven largely by a sharp increase in fuel prices, while average CPI for the first eight months of the year climbed 4.45%.

Samsung’s four major Vietnam plants generated more than $2.3 billion in profit in the first half of 2026, marking a dramatic turnaround as the global AI boom drives chip demand.

Vietnam is seeking to move beyond a growth model built on cheap labor, capital and natural resources as it charts a path toward high-income status by 2045.

Home mortgage interest rates at many banks have exceeded 10 percent per year, while some loans have reached 12 to 13 percent per year.

By the end of the second quarter of 2026, the combined charter capital of 30 Vietnamese commercial banks surpassed VND1 quadrillion for the first time, reaching about $38.2 billion, up roughly $675 million, or 1.8%, from the beginning of the year.

Hyundai and KIA were once among the most favored auto brands in Vietnam, celebrated for eye-catching designs, rich equipment lists, and competitive pricing. However, several models that were once market "stars" are steadily losing their appeal.

While global gold prices have continued to rise, domestic buying prices for gold bars have fallen about VND1.5-2 million per tael below the global price. Such a divergence has rarely been seen in Vietnam in recent years.

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly widespread, a bank’s competitive edge is no longer determined by technology alone, but also by the quality of its data.

The aviation market is attracting a new wave of investors and airlines as passenger and cargo demand grows.

FTSE Russell has announced that 27 Vietnamese stocks have been added to the FTSE Global All Cap. Passive capital inflows could reach $1.5 billion, though benefits vary across individual tickers.

Pork prices at traditional markets across HCMC have declined compared to previous months, but consumer demand has failed to recover. To boost sales, vendors have been forced to extend business hours and offer additional discounts.

The proposed Law on SME Development is aimed at developing Vietnam's private businesses, which amount to around 1 million, with 98 percent of them small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Business associations and enterprises in Hanoi have urged the city to tackle bottlenecks in financing, logistics, infrastructure and regulations.

Vietnam's expanding infrastructure pipeline is driving demand for medium- and long-term capital, increasing the focus on projects that are investment-ready and capable of deploying funds efficiently.