The heir to the Nina Ricci perfume and fashion fortune has been convicted of tax fraud by a Paris court after hiding millions in an offshore HSBC account.

Rice exporters worry as competition grows; HCM City SMEs need support to borrow from banks; HSBC predicts further OMO rate cut soon; E-commerce sites attract more corporate clients; Listed firms seek investment equality

 The chairman and chief executive of HSBC will appear before a panel of MPs today to answer questions about a tax scandal at the banking giant.

 Authorities in a range of countries are considering examining HSBC's actions in helping more than 100,000 wealthy individuals avoid paying tax.

Saigon Securities divests from confectionery; Vinatex and Itochu embark on ambitious project; Vietnamese manufacturing on the rise; Vietnam to mobilise development capital equal to 30% GDP; Mekong Delta exports 516,000 tonnes of rice in January

Japan – a tiger economy for labour exports; Thanh Hoa assists projects in Nghi Son EZ; Vietnam’s economy continues recovery trend in 2015; Singapore leads ASEAN investors in Vietnam; HCM City’s property market expected to grow in 2015

HCM City kicks off tourism, shopping fest; Vietinbank signs US$139 million loan agreement with foreign banks; Real estate developer Kinh Bac to hold $56m bond issue; Kem Nghia to build $14 million plant; One more port to go public in December

 Shareholders approve 80% sale of KDC snack division; VND30trillion credit package remains inaccessible for many; Minister confident of 5.8% GDP growth for 2014; Vietnam spends nearly US$3 million on animal imports

 Foreign exchange rate remains unchanged, says SBV; HSBC: Vietnam’s PMI goes up in September; Garment exports to hit US$25 bln for 2014; Inflation holds steady in first nine months

 GDP grows significantly: HSBC; Shrimp producers face more scrutiny for chemical usage; Dong Nai revokes licences of delayed investment projects;

 VietNamNet Bridge – The reports from well-known international consultancy firms all show that major investors still have interest in Vietnam as an attractive investment destination, despite the tensions in the East Sea.

 Footwear sector takes big steps; Japan loans $338m for thermal plant; HSBC: investors do not change view on Vietnam; US to impose anti-dumping duty on steel pipes; Samsung selects Vietnam as site for US$982 million facility

 HSBC: Manufacturing drives H1 GDP growth; Cashew exporters seek SBV help; VPBank gets nod to acquire finance firm; Kinh Do to venture into coffee and cooking oil markets; VietinBank to sell VND1.5-trillion of bad debt to VAMC

 JICA funds VND2,500 bil expressway project; Nam Con Son pipeline financing approved;  HSBC: Vietnam’s manufacturing growth continues in June; Cashew nut exporters need more support; M&A property deals on upward trend;

 Vietnam to face cement shortage; Rice exports off target in April; New Eximbank leaders named; VAT refunds okayed for farm produce importers; PVN to reduce PV GAS stake; Vietnam building doctrine of growth

 VinaWealth launches open-ended fund; Banks cut rates on capital surplus; Draft Hanoi Metropolitan Region Planning under discussion; Quang Ngai calls for more investment in industrial zone; Foreigners interested in listed firms in Vietnam

 Vietcombank to exceed credit limit for PVOil; Vietnam Airlines airs new jets as part of expansion; Cienco 6 sets IPO date; Cao Bang border gate economic zone established; Vietnamese, Russian companies ink LNG deal

 Sacombank, Phuong Nam could merge; HSBC: Vietnam’s CPI to rise 6.5 percent; Bird flu takes toll on livestock industry; Thousands of businesses set up in two months; Ministry maintains petrol retail prices

 Gov’t to borrow VND100 trillion through bond sales; HSBC forecasts bright year for Vietnamese exports; Stock market offers rich opportunities; Grounds for optimism as market thaws; Textile exports forecast to grow

 The European Central Bank (ECB)'s decision to leave interest rates on hold but to step up the verbal tone put it on "wait and see" mode, economists said Thursday.