SBV survey optimistic about outstanding loans in 2015; Vinafood 2 acts to secure rice for export; Ministry sticks to ice-to-fish ratio rule; Husbandry households face tougher future; Authorities crackdown on tobacco smuggling

While the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) says that settling bad debts through the Vietnam Asset Management Company (VAMC) is the optimal solution, economists doubt that it is actually helping the situation.

The second phase of the bank restructuring process initiated by the State Bank is likely to start in 2015, and merger and acquisition (M&A) plans are also expected to finally occur this year.

VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnamese government is determined to bring total bad debts down to 3 per cent in 2015, well below last year’s 5.43 per cent.

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) unexpectedly devalued the dong by one percent starting on January 7, 2015. It will now have the right to devalue the dong again by only one percent within the year.

Vietcombank, one of five Vietnamese largest commercial banks has announced it will acquire another credit institution. Sources say the “other credit institution” could be Saigon Bank.

 VietNamNet Bridge – New faces have appeared holding the key positions at state-owned banks and at banks in which the State holds a  controlling stake.

Hanoi Food IPO on January 9; Companies promise to maintain Tet bonus despite economic downturn; Experts: Power tariff hikes to hit firms; Transport firms to lower fares after sharp fuel price cut

 VietNamNet Bridge – The State Bank of Vietnam will continue to pursue its current dong/dollar exchange rate stabilization policy in 2015. Vietnamese dong depreciation, if it occurs, will not be higher than two percent.

UMA nation's top furniture retailer; Five VN firms in ASEAN 100 list; HCM City failing to meet SOE equitisation goal; Investors buy still-unfinished apartments; CPI falls on lower transport costs;

 VietNamNet Bridge – The stock market has been stirred up with the news that credit institutions’ loans to investors to fund their stock investment must not be higher than 5 percent of the institutions’ chartered capital.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) will be imposing penalties for the first time on banks offering poor quality Automated Teller Machines (ATM) service.

SBV slashes deposit rate cap; Vietham attracts FDI from ASEAN countries; Home loans still hard to come by; Trade surplus hits $1.87b as high-value exports rise; State-owned firms misused funds: MoF

VietNamNet Bridge – The State Bank of Viet Nam issued Circular 25/2014/TT-NHNN on 15 September 2014 to guide registration of foreign loans not guaranteed by the Government and changes made to their terms and conditions.

The Prime Minister’s new decision requires the central bank (SBV), or state-owned commercial banks appointed by SBV, to buy back capital contributed by state-owned institutions to credit institutions.

VietNamNet Bridge – The central bank has withdrawn the licenses of two foreign banks, Laos-Vietnam Joint Venture Bank and Credit Agricole Bank, according to a State Bank of Vietnam’s report to the National Assembly Standing Committee.

 The country's total means of payment next year will increase roughly by 16% to 18% against December, according to the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV).

 VietNamNet Bridge – Do Tat Ngoc, former chairman of the Viet Nam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank), has been arrested for alleged intentional violations of State regulations on economic management.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Total funds provided to cover any risk reached VND77.3 trillion (US$3.6 billion) by the end of June, up 10.9 per cent over the 2013-end figure.

SBV yet to mull deposit rate ceiling cut; Chinese goods imports into HCMC shrink; Fibre industry on the rise; OTT market sees fierce competition; Int’l community supports agricultural restructuring