Vietnamese markets extended gains and ended higher on Wednesday, thanks largely to rises in food and beverage shares.

On the Hồ Chí Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the VN-Index rose 0.83 points, or 0.06 per cent to close the trading session at 1,284.35 points.

During most of the day, VN-Index traded above the reference level. Even though the afternoon session recorded strong selling pressure, VN-Index still ended the session higher on Wednesday, a third consecutive day of rises.

More stocks moved down on the southern bourse, with 173 ticker symbols finishing lower, while 144 stocks inched higher.

More than 925 million shares were traded on the southern exchange, worth VNĐ24 trillion (US$940 million).

The 30 biggest stocks tracker, VN30-Index, decreased 1.33 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 1,299.66 points. Fourteen stocks of the VN30 basket inched down, while thirteen climbed and three ended flat.

Data compiled by financial news site vietstock.vn showed that cash was moving into food and beverage stocks.

The food and beverage sector experienced significant gains, with several companies in the industry witnessing increased investor interest and robust trading activity. The biggest gainer was the brewery company Sabeco (SAB). The SAB symbol hit the ceiling on Wednesday, up 6.84 per cent, contributing more than 1.4 points to the VN-Index.

It was followed by Vinamilk (VNM), the dairy producer which also had a good performance on Wednesday, up 3.79 per cent, contributing more than 1.3 points to the VN-Index.

The real estate sector also showed positive signs, with Investment And Industrial Development Corporation (BCM) up 2.09 per cent and Vincom Retail Joint Stock Company (VRE) up 1.81 per cent.

Some sectors posted losses and put strong pressure on the overall market. Banking stocks dropped, with losers being the Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (CTG), the Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MBB) and the Vietnam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank (VPB).

On the Hà Nội Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index ended higher at 244.49 points, up 0.07 per cent. During the session, over 92 million shares were traded on the northern bourse, worth over VNĐ1.8 trillion.

Foreign investors were net buyers on the southern bourse, with a net purchase value of VNĐ39.56 billion, while they were net sellers on the HNX, with a net sale value of more than VNĐ11 billion. 

Airlines with busier schedules urged to enhance flight safety

Amid concerns over potential safety risks resulting from additional flights of local air carriers, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has urged these carriers to take proactive measures to ensure air travel safety.

The directive was issued following the temporary suspension of operations for a large number of Airbus A321neo airplanes due to the maintenance of PW1100 engines used for these jetliners.

In the wake of the aircraft shortage, local airlines have rescheduled slot times and added night flights to meet the air travel demand.

To ensure the efficient and safe use of aircraft, the CAAV requires airlines to organize aircraft maintenance, prepare full supplies of materials, parts, equipment, and tools for maintenance, and detect signs of malfunctions. These measures aim to ensure that aircraft are in optimal conditions.

The CAAV highlighted the importance of regular training for staff, updating training programs with contents identified through safety investigation systems. Meanwhile, cabin crews are required to strictly comply with operational regulations and procedures in adverse weather conditions as well as safety guidance from the CAAV.

Vietnamese rice continues to dominate Philippine market despite policy shifts

The rice trade between Vietnam and the Philippines is forecast to remain steady in the near future, according to the Vietnam Trade Office in the Philippines.

While the Philippine Government is revamping its National Food Authority (NFA) and considering revisions to rice import regulations, these changes are unlikely to have a remarkable immediate impact on Vietnamese exports, the office said.

The NFA restructuring is underway, aiming to equip the agency with the tools to directly intervene in the rice market and stabilise prices. Additionally, lawmakers are contemplating amendments to Republic Act No. 11203 which liberalised rice trade in the Philippines.

These moves stem from rising rice prices in the Southeast Asian nation, which have significantly contributed to inflation. The Government's previous measures, including price ceilings, proved ineffective in curbing the price surge.

The Vietnam Trade Office emphasised that the NFA's market intervention efforts primarily target lower-quality rice consumed by low-income Philippine, and therefore wouldn't disrupt the premium rice market where Vietnamese exporters hold a strong position.

Statistics underscored Vietnam's dominance in the Philippine rice market. In the first five months of this year, Vietnam remained the Philippines' top rice supplier, accounting for over 72% of the country's total import of the grain. This preference results from the popularity of Vietnamese rice varieties like DT8 and 5451, known for their softness and affordability. Vietnamese rice currently reigns supreme in Metro Manila and the southern localities, favoured for its taste and competitive pricing.

Vietnamese rice caters to Philippine preferences with its quality, variety and competitive prices, said Phung Van Thanh, Trade Counsellor of the Vietnam Trade Office in the Philippines. The consistent supply, both in volume and price, aligns perfectly with the Philippines' annual import needs, and geographical proximity also translates to cost-effective transportation.

Beyond these factors, Vietnamese rice enjoys a trade advantage through bilateral and multilateral agreements like the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which offer benefits not available to non-ASEAN rice exporters like India and Pakistan.

Looking ahead, Thanh advised Vietnamese rice exporters to focus on maintaining their top position in the Philippines. This can be achieved through continued collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Vietnamese authorities in the Philippines, such as Embassy and Trade Office, to organise promotion events. He also suggested exploring the potential of medium- and lower-quality rice to cater to a broader range of Philippine consumers./.

Transport Ministry disburses VND20.5 trillion for public investment projects

The Ministry of Transport had disbursed VND20.5 trillion in public investment funds by the end of last month, reaching 34% of its annual target, showed data from the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

This disbursement rate is higher than the 30% achieved in the same period last year.

The Government allocated more than VND59 trillion for public investment in 2024. The Ministry of Transport received an additional VND2.57 trillion from the 2021 central budget surplus and is seeking approval for a further VND8.68 trillion from the 2023 surplus to finance key national and transport sector projects.

The ministry requires project managers to draft detailed disbursement plans and take responsibility for meeting timelines. Monthly progress will be monitored, and funds will be reallocated from slower projects to faster-moving ones. Underperforming project managers and contractors will face corrective actions.

In May, three new projects were initiated, including the final section of the Ho Chi Minh Road from Cao Bang Province to Ca Mau Province.

By the end of May, the ministry had approved the investment policy for 65 projects and made investment decisions on 57 of these under the 2021-2025 mid-term public investment plan. These projects utilize savings from the 2022 central budget.

Israeli importers interested in seeking suppliers from Vietnam

Israeli businesses expressed their interest in seeking more goods supply sources from Việt Nam to meet the demand of domestic consumers at a trade promotion and business connection event in Tel Aviv on June 4.

They showed high demand for importing a number of products from Việt Nam such as rice and processed products, soft drinks, fruit juices, sauces of all kinds, seafood, confectionery, dried and canned fruits, as well as electronic household appliances, construction materials, cosmetics, and protective equipment.

The firms underlined that imported products must have Kosher certificate to ensure that they are suitable to the practice of Jewish consumers, and meet quality standards of Europe and the US, especially in food safety.

At the event, which was held by the Vietnamese Trade Office in Israel and the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce (FICC) and gathered 30 Israeli firms, Director of the FICC’s International Relations and Business Development Department Sarit Fishbane said that amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Red Sea crisis and the Israel-Türkiye trade conflict, Israel is seeking more supply sources of goods to replace the broken ones.

She said that Israel is focusing on finding suppliers from Asia in general and Việt Nam in particular for domestic consumption.

Vietnamese Trade Counsellor Lê Thái Hòa briefed participants on the socio-economic development, foreign trade and strengths of Việt Nam as well as the structure of import-export products between the two countries and the prospect for two-way trade.

Hòa pointed to opportunities from the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement, which was approved by the two sides in early 2024 and is scheduled to become effective later this year.

At the event, the Vietnamese Trade Office in Israel introduced a number of Vietnamese exporters of agricultural and aquatic products, beverage and construction materials to Israeli firms to conduct detail transactions.

Statistics showed that in the first five months of 2024, trade between Việt Nam and Israel reached about US$1.1 billion, including $380 million worth of Việt Nam’s exports. 

Over 4.49 billion USD raised through G-bond auctions in five months

The State Treasury mobilised more than 127 trillion VND (4.49 billion USD) from G-bond auctions on the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) during January-May, or 31.76% of the annual plan.

In May alone, the HNX organised 25 G-bond auctions issued by the State Treasury with a total winning value of over 24 trillion VND. Bonds with 5- and 10-year terms were traded the most, accounting for 41.6% and 36%, respectively.

Interest rates for the 5-,10-, 15, 20- and 30-year terms increased by 0.03% to 0.14% a year from the first session of the month to 1.8%, 2.66%, 2.83%, 2.86% and 3.1%, respectively.

In the secondary market, the scale of G-bonds listing as of May 31 topped 2 quadrillion VND, up 0.57% month-on-month.

Total transaction value in May reached 228 trillion VND, of which the outright value accounted for 62.37% and repos 37.63%.

In the month, foreign investors’ total purchases made up 2.07% of the total trading value. They net bought 630 billion VND of G-bonds./.

Over 400 enterprises to attend 2024 Vietstock and Aquaculture Vietnam

More than 400 domestic and foreign firms are expected to join the 2024 Vietnam’s Premier International Feed, Livestock, Aquaculture & Meat Industry Show which is slated to run in Ho Chi Minh City from October 9 to 11.

The event is anticipated to provide an ideal venue for leading experts and business representatives from all over the world to exchange the latest advancements in the livestock and aquaculture industry and establish partnerships to accelerate the overall development of the industry.

The annual expo is considered a leading platform for firms to introduce cutting-edge technologies, discuss new trends, and address challenges faced by the entire livestock and aquaculture industry in Vietnam and the ASEAN region as a whole.

On display will be a wide range of the most advanced products, services, and technologies by leading firms from 50 countries around the world.

In addition, a number of activities will be held at the expo, including conferences and workshops to delve into the livestock and aquaculture market, trends, technological advances, and best practices.

Furthermore, a Match & Meet programme will be held to strengthen connectivity among local and foreign businesses.

Most notably, there will be a Bus-in Program to take visitors to livestock and aquaculture households in many provinces and cities in both Vietnam and Cambodia to help them gain greater insights into the aquaculture procedures and the market demand.

Bold new 20,000-ha-economic zone in Hải Phòng applies for central approval

The project to develop a 20,000-ha-coastal-economic zone in southern Hải Phòng City is seeking approval from the central level, Lê Trung Kiên, Head of the Hải Phòng Economic Zones Management Board said on Tuesday.

The project has already got a nod from the municipal Party Committee.

The economic zone, to be the second of Hải Phòng after Đình Vũ – Cát Hải Economic Zone, will cover four districts including Đồ Sơn, Kiến Thuỵ, Tiên Lãng and Vĩnh Bảo.

The economic zone will prioritise investments in high-tech fields and modern logistics and aims to become a modern international logistical hub, to enable the northern port city to participate in regional and global value chains.

In addition, breakthrough policies and incentives will be raised to develop free trade zones within the economic zone following successful models in the world.

By 2030, the economic zone wants to have a capacity equivalent to 80 per cent of the Đình Vũ – Cát Hải Economic Zone in 2023.

This is a bold project to help Hải Phòng become a modern, smart and sustainable industrial city of the Southeast Asian stature.

Hải Phòng attracted a total of US$26.4 billion in foreign direct investment in 2009-23 period. In the first four months of this year, the city attracted FDI of $285.74 million.

Exhibitors showcase their latest technologies and products at HanoiPlas 2024

More than 200 exhibitors from 13 countries and regions have gathered to showcase the latest technologies and products at the 12th Hanoi International Plastics & Rubber Industry Exhibition (HanoiPlas 2024) which officially started in the capital city today (June 5).

This event serves as a crucial platform for professionals in the plastics and rubber industry to explore cutting-edge solutions, showcase the latest technology, machinery and equipment and network with their industry peers.

This year's exhibition features representatives from a vast array of countries and regions, including China, Germany, Hong Kong China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States, with an impressive 9,000 sq meters exhibition space, making this the largest in the event's history.

The exhibitors are showing the latest technologies and products, including injection machinery, rubber manufacturing equipment, one-stop processes, blown film machines, extrusion lines, recycling solutions and new chemicals and materials.

Delivering a speech at the opening ceremony, Đinh Đức Thắng, the Vice President of the Vietnam Plastics Association said the Vietnamese plastics sector has momentum and is likely to become an increasingly attractive destination for international investment and business opportunities.

Thắng said in 2023, imports of plastic raw materials declined 4.2 per cent in volume to 6.82 million tons and decreased 21.2 per cent in value to $9.76 billion compared to 2022.

Overall revenue for the Vietnamese plastics industry in 2023 is projected to reach $25 billion, a slight dip of 0.67 per cent from the previous year.

However, Việt Nam's exports of plastic products are forecast to see a sharp increase in the first half of 2024, rising over 32 per cent to surpass $3.15 billion, compared to the same period in 2023.

He noted that despite the industry's growth, Vietnamese plastic products are still facing significant challenges, particularly around the issues of plastic pollution and policies aimed at reducing virgin plastic use in favour of recycled materials.

Demand for environmentally-friendly plastic products, especially from major export markets like the U.S., EU and Japan, is creating both challenges and opportunities for Vietnamese businesses.

To meet these evolving market demands, plastic manufacturers in Vietnam will need to adopt new technologies and materials that are more sustainable and aligned with the trend towards a circular economy.

At the event, Judy Wang chairman of Yorkers Exhibition Service Vietnam said the Vietnamese plastics and rubber sector has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, playing a crucial role in providing essential materials to various industries such as electronics, textiles, consumer goods and the automotive industry.

HanoiPlas 2024 will end on Friday (June 8).

Bắc Giang focuses on increasing lychee value to compensate for crop loss

Lychee farmers and Bắc Giang local authorities are working to boost the value of lychees by improving care and promoting consumption to compensate for crop loss.

Lychee output is expected to be significantly reduced in 2024 due to adverse weather conditions, with one district reporting a main crop yields nearly 70 per cent lower than in 2023.

The Bắc Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reports that the province has 29,700 hectares of lychees in 2024, yielding over 100,000 tonnes, or about 50 per cent of 2023's yield. This includes 7,700 hectares of early ripe lychees, 22,000 hectares of main crop lychees, and 15,600 hectares of VietGAP standard lychees, each yielding about 50,000 tonnes. Additionally, 82 hectares of lychees will be produced to GlobalGAP standards, yielding approximately 500 tonnes.

In 2024, Lục Ngạn District maintains more than 17,000 hectares for lychee growing. Due to bad weather, its output is expected to be about 50,000 tonnes, of which its main crop lychee output is predicted to decrease by nearly 70 per cent compared to last year.

Lê Bá Thành, Deputy Director of the Bắc Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the department will work with local districts and cities to assist farmers with pest control and care to maintain lychee quality for both domestic and export markets.

Ngô Văn Tiệp, Chairman of the Phúc Hòa Commune People’s Committee, reported that since the start of the season on May 16, traders and businesses have consumed about 1,000 tonnes of early lychees, with approximately 70 per cent exported. This includes 650 tonnes sent to China and seven tonnes to Australia. China remains a large market for Vietnamese lychees.

Bắc Giang plans to export about 70,000 tonnes of lychees out of a total output of 100,000 tonnes in 2024. The province continues to export fresh lychees and processed lychee products.

To ensure export quality, the province is meticulously managing 223 planting area codes covering over 17,000 hectares, with an estimated output of 34,000 tonnes. This includes 130 codes for the Chinese market, spanning over 16,200 hectares and yielding about 30,000 tonnes. The remaining 4,000 tonnes are destined for high-demand markets such as the US, Japan, Australia, the EU and South Korea, with specific codes allocated for each.

Since the beginning of the season, the Bắc Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has organised 10 working sessions with businesses to survey production areas and to prepare for processing, packaging and preservation for export to the US, Canada, Australia, the EU, Japan and Thailand.

Five companies have signed contracts with farmers, including Ameii, Vifoco, Toàn Cầu, Rồng Đỏ and Mova. The department is supporting the 528 Logistics Group Joint Stock Company in its preparations to start exporting lychees to the US.

Bắc Giang Province is also actively promoting lychee consumption. In mid-May 2024, the provincial People’s Committee organised an online trade conference with the Department of Commerce of Yunnan province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in China to boost lychee consumption for 2024.

At the end of June, the province will hold a conference to connect supply and demand for lychees and other key provincial products on e-commerce and digital platforms. Tân Yên and Lục Ngạn districts will host conferences to promote lychee consumption and tourism.

Trần Quang Tấn, Director of the Bắc Giang Department of Industry and Trade, said that all provincial sectors and localities are fully prepared to support lychee farmers and traders in harvesting, selling and exporting lychees, both domestically and internationally.

The provincial Department of Industry and Trade will work closely with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to continue promoting Bắc Giang lychees in international markets. They will negotiate to open new export markets and support the connection of domestic and foreign enterprises in the consumption of lychees. 

Korea Trade Commission starts investigation into Vietnamese steel

The Korea Trade Commission (KTC) has started an investigation into Vietnamese cold rolled steel imported into South Korea, according to the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

The South Korean commission has been looking into cold-rolled stainless steel after a petition was filed by South Korean company Posco Co., Ltd., the East Asian country's largest steel maker.

According to the trade authority, the commission has asked relevant parties to provide certain information and documents to help with the investigation.

The Vietnamese trade authority advised Vietnamese companies to carefully study the notice from South Korean authorities, prepare the required information and documents and fully cooperate with the Korean investigative agency throughout the process.

They were also encouraged to contact and coordinate with the Vietnamese trade authority for timely support and guidance.

According to the authority, by the end of April 2024, Vietnamese products have faced nearly 250 trade investigations in 24 markets around the world. Products under investigation include wooden cabinets, plywood, solar panels, shrimp, pangasius, basa fish, high-pressure washers, foam mattresses, lawn mowers, cigarette paper, EPS plastic beads and honey, among others.

The MoIT said as Vietnamese products continue to gain ground in the international market in recent years, it's expected that they will face an increased number of trade investigations, mainly due to the complex nature of international trade and the numerous free trade agreements that the country has signed.

It was also a sign that Vietnamese exporters have been making progress in improving product quality and appeal, creating significant pressure on competitors.

Tax sector fulfils nearly 52% of State budget collection projection

The General Department of Taxation on June 5 reported that the total State budget collection of the tax sector in the first five months of this year was estimated at 767.41 trillion VND (30.19 billion USD), equivalent to 51.6% of the yearly projection and representing a year-on-year rise of 14.9%.

Accordingly, collections from 13 out of the 20 sources topped 50% of the State budget projection for this year, it said.

Particularly, revenue from State-owned enterprises was estimated to complete the projection by 50.3%, while the proportion of foreign-invested firms was 52.9% and non-state economic sector 57.1%. Meanwhile, personal income tax collection was equivalent to 55% of the projection, the department added.

It said that 23 out of the 63 localities completed over 50% of the State budget projection for this year, while 11 others suffered lower revenue compared to the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the total amount of tax and land rent exempted or reduced in the first five months of this year was about 31.84 trillion VND.

According to the department, as of May 17, 59,674 businesses had registered to use electronic invoices created from cash registers, an increase of 47.9% compared to the end of 2023, with the number of electronic invoices created from cash registers reaching more than 415.3 million.

Alongside, 96 foreign suppliers registered and were granted tax codes through the tax sector’s online portal, two more than the previous month. As of May 15, the total tax amount paid directly by foreign suppliers through the portal was 4.02 trillion VND.

For the rest of the year, the department will continue to keep a close watch on the collection progress, reviewing potential collection sources, and advising the Ministry of Finance and the Government in regulating State budget collection, thus striving to complete tasks for 2024./.

FPT Software and SQLI team up to increase aviation experience

FPT Software and European digital services company SQLI have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on digital transformation for airlines.

The partnership aims to jointly advance digital transformation in the aviation industry, by enhancing operational efficiency, sustainability, safety, and customer experience through a range of innovative digital solutions.

Under the MoU, with the FPT Software’s technological capabilities and the SQLI’s strengths in customer experience solutions, the two sides will closely co-operate in developing a customer relationship management system, airline e-commerce channels, and customer communication platforms.

According to a representative of FPT Software, the partnership is expected to increase aviation passenger satisfaction through digital experiences in which airlines can expand and increase service value, thereby further contributing to their long-term sales success.

“FPT Software has been delivering digital solutions to various major global aviation giants. Combining our scalable talent pool, proven expertise, and SQLI's expertise, I believe we can achieve greater success for commercial airlines worldwide. The sky will be our only limit,” said Chu Thi Thanh Ha, chairwoman of FPT Software.

Philippe Donche-Gay, group chief executive officer of SQLI, stressed that, “The airline industry is facing a strong demand in the coming years with commercial aircraft open orders reaching an all-time high of 15,700 aircraft. SQLI and FPT Software are timely joining forces to support this trend with their digital expertise and resources. Our common values of delivery excellence and customer focus will make this partnership a success.”

Fukuoka’s tech companies keen to co-operate with Vietnam

As many as 17 enterprises and startups of Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture expressed a keen interest in expanding investment cooperation with Vietnamese businesses, especially IT firms, at a workshop in Hanoi on June 5.

Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Phan Tam emphasised that Vietnamese digital technology firms are entering a new stage of development, bringing Made-in-Vietnam digital products and services to the world.

This year he said the Ministry of Information and Communications continues to focus on supporting Vietnamese digital technology enterprises as they expand their markets and fully tap into investment opportunities in countries around the world.

Therefore, he added the workshop is anticipated to help Vietnamese firms wishing to invest in Fukuoka Prefecture to set up partnerships and design cooperation programmes and projects with Japanese partners.

The event also provides an opportunity for both sides to introduce their capabilities, strengths, and demands for collaboration, providing the basis for developing a substantive and effective partnership moving forward.

For his part, Mayor of Fukuoka Prefecture Takashima Soichiro stressed that the locality has received great attention from many foreign investors, including Vietnamese firms such as FPT Corporation and Rikkei.

He revealed that 17 Japanese enterprises and startups were interested in cooperating with the Vietnamese side and have since expanded investment with local IT enterprises.

At the workshop, representatives of the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA) and Vietnamese and Fukuoka’s IT enterprises introduced investment and market opportunities among both sides. A number of memorandums of understanding were also signed at the event.

Listed businesses set high cash dividend rates of up to 33.5% for shareholders

Many listed businesses in Việt Nam have have concluded their arrangements to distribute cash dividends to shareholders, with the highest dividend rate reaching 33.5 per cent.

Based on data from the Hà Nội and HCM Stock Exchanges, a total of 31 businesses will finalise the distribution of dividends to their shareholders this week.

Among them, 28 businesses will distribute cash dividends, one business will distribute dividends in the form of shares and two businesses will distribute dividends in a combination of both cash and shares. Several businesses are offering cash dividends at rates exceeding 33 per cent.

Specifically, on June 10, the Petroleum Mechanical Joint Stock Company (PMS) will finalise its list of shareholders eligible to receive cash dividends for the year 2023.

The dividend rate is set at 33.5 per cent, meaning that each shareholder will receive VNĐ3,350. The expected payment date for this dividend is June 21 and represents the highest cash dividend payout since the company was listed in 2003.

With over 7.2 million outstanding shares, PMS is forecast to allocate more than VNĐ24 billion in dividend payments.

According to the 2023 annual report, Petrolimex Group Construction and Trading Corporation JSC (under Petrolimex Group) is the largest shareholder of PMS, holding a 46 per cent stake.

Under this percentage, the company is expected to receive more than VNĐ11 billion in dividends from PMS. Individual shareholder Trần Thị Hiền, who currently owns 11.29 per cent of PMS capital, will receive nearly VNĐ3 billion in cash dividends.

Nam Dược Joint Stock Company (NDC) has announced the finalisation of its list of shareholders eligible to receive cash dividends for the year 2023. The dividend rate is set at 25 per cent, with each share receiving VNĐ2,500. With nearly six million outstanding shares, NDC is estimated to hand out nearly VNĐ15 billion in dividends, with an expected payment date of June 27.

NDC's three major shareholders include Dương Thị Sáu, wife of NDC General Director Hoàng Minh Châu, holding 23.77 per cent of the capital; Ích Nhân Pharmaceutical Company Limited, where Sáu serves as General Director, holding 19.29 per cent; and NDC Vice Chairman Nguyễn Văn Giang, holding 6.02 per cent of the capital.

Based on their ownership ratios, Dương Thị Sáu is expected to receive more than VNĐ3.5 billion in dividends from Nam Dược, Ích Nhân Pharmaceutical Company will receive nearly VNĐ3 billion and Nguyễn Văn Giang Giang will receive close to VNĐ900 million.

On June 4, the IDICO Corporation (IDC) will also finalise its list of shareholders eligible for cash dividends, set at a rate of 25 per cent per share (equivalent to VNĐ2,500). The payment is expected to occur on June 19.

With approximately 330 million listed shares, IDICO will need to allocate VNĐ825 billion to distribute dividends to its existing shareholders.

Notably, the S.S.G Group Joint Stock Company is the largest shareholder of IDC, holding 74.25 million shares, equivalent to 22.5 per cent of the company's capital. Therefore, S.S.G Group will receive nearly VNĐ186 billion in cash dividends from IDICO. Additionally, Bách Việt Production and Trading Company Limited, holding over 39 million shares (nearly 12 per cent of capital) in IDICO, will receive more than VNĐ98 billion.

Previously, IDICO had made two advance dividend payments in 2023. The first occurred in mid-October 2023 at a rate of 20 percent in cash, followed by another in late January of this year at a rate of 15 percent in cash. 

The total dividend payout in 2023, including these advance payments, amounted to 40 per cent, all of which was paid in cash. In 2024, the company plans to maintain the same dividend rate as in 2023.

On June 5, the Sông Ba Joint Stock Company (SBA) will finalise its list of shareholders eligible to receive cash dividends for the year 2023. The dividend rate is set at 22 per cent, with each share receiving VNĐ2,200. The payment date is scheduled for June 25.

With nearly 60.5 million outstanding shares, the company is expected to allocate over VNĐ133 billion for dividend payments. Currently, the Central Power Corporation holds a 40 per cent ownership stake in SBA, which equates to a projected dividend payment of VNĐ52 billion in cash. 

Red River Delta needs to professionalise trade promotion activities

Localities in the Red River Delta region need to professionalise and further cooperate in terms of trade promotions, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Sinh Nhật Tân told a conference in Hà Nội.

The Red River Delta region is a leading region in terms of industrialisation, modernisation, research and applications of science, technology and innovation, with a strong and thriving infrastructure.

It includes 11 provinces and cities, including Hà Nội, Hải Phòng, Vĩnh Phúc, Bắc Ninh, Hưng Yên, Hải Dương, Quảng Ninh, Thái Bình, Nam Định, Hà Nam and Ninh Bình. 

According to the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, it can be developed even further under a decision signed by Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, on May 4 (decision 368/QĐ-TTg) which approved a plan through to 2050.

Under this directive, the region is being lined up to have sustainable development, a reasonable economic structure, and modern industry, agriculture, and services. It will be a leader in the development of science and technology, innovation, and the digital economy. 

Therefore, the regional localities need to cooperate in developing regional key products in order to identify suitable value chains to exploit the best values of the products, Tân said.

In addition, businesses need to participate in e-commerce activities, which will open up many opportunities to approach customers, cut intermediary costs, and improve product competitiveness, he said. 

At the same time, the localities need to coordinate closely with relevant ministries and branches to promote key exports for each period and each target market and build appropriate production and business chains to help the regional localities and enterprises benefit from the chains. 

Tân also noted that businesses need to promptly update information about export markets to improve the competitiveness of the regional export products. 

They also must participate in trade promotion activities to find business opportunities, including trade promotion programmes of the localities and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in 2023, the entire region's import-export turnover reached about US$261 billion, the highest value among Việt Nam's six economic regions, accounting for 38 per cent of the national trade turnover. 

At the same time, the region attracted the largest foreign investment at more than $17 billion. Five out of the regional 11 localities were among the top ten localities in luring foreign investment.

Located in the Northern key economic region and in the economic growth triangle of Hà Nội-Hải Phòng-Quảng Ninh, Hải Dương Province is a locality with potential in agricultural economic development with many agricultural products having high quality and output.

Vũ Thị Kim Phượng, deputy director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Hải Dương Province, said that promotions for most of the province's agricultural products have applied scientific and technical advances. Those products come from coded planting areas and have Vietgap and Globalgap certification. 

Farmers and enterprises have formed production and business chains. Many products are exported in large quantities to many export markets, especially high-end markets such as European countries, the US, Japan and South Korea.

However, Phượng said regional links in the production, consumption, and export of agricultural products among localities, including Hải Dương, face some difficulties.

She was informed that some cooperatives have not participated in the chains of agricultural products and not yet promoted their role of bridging farmers with businesses. 

In addition, cooperation between businesses and farmers is not sustainable, and agricultural products are still consumed through many intermediaries, leading to low economic efficiency. 

She said there is no regional linkage mechanism to fully promote each locality's potential and strengths, and cooperation between localities in the region is still ad hoc. 

The Import-Export Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade reported that export activities of the Red River Delta region have not similarly developed among provinces and cities in the region.

In 2023, 65.2 per cent of the Red River Delta's export turnover came from Bắc Ninh, Hải Phòng and Hà Nội. Furthermore, the exports depended on the FDI sector, which accounted for 73.6 per cent of total regional export turnover. 

Vũ Bá Phú, director of Trade Promotion Agency, Ministry of Industry and Trade, said the implementation of regional trade promotion activities still faces some difficulties, especially organisation and resources.

Eleven provinces and cities in the Red River Delta now have many trade promotion centres under different management levels, such as provincial/municipal authorities and local industry and trade departments. This has led to inadequacies in state management and poor efficiency in trade promotion activities.  

In addition, some localities have difficulty arranging convenient locations and services to organise regular large scale trade promotion activities.

Even at the three economic growth centres of Hà Nội-Hải Phòng-Quảng Ninh, there is still a lack of exhibition and conference space in order to organise regional and international events to attract investment, trade and tourism promotion activities, Phú said. 

Sustainable business assessment programme in 2024 launched

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has launched the 2024 sustainable business assessment programme in Việt Nam to assess and praise business performance in three aspects - economy, society and environment.

Vice chairman of VCCI Nguyễn Quang Vinh said over the past eight years, the programme has contributed to helping businesses, entrepreneurs and the Vietnamese business community transform their business mindset from a traditional, profit-driven business model to a more natural, humane and responsible one. 

The programme's Corporate Sustainability Index (CSI) is not only a basis for assessing the level of sustainable development of participating businesses but also a tool to support them in implementing sustainable corporate governance effectively, Vinh said during a launch ceremony on Wednesday in Hà Nội. 

This year, the Corporate Sustainability Index (CSI) has 153 indicators. Up to 62 per cent of indicators are related to legal compliance requirements, while 37 per cent are sustainability indicators.

This year is the ninth in a row that the programme is organised by the VCCI and the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD) in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour and the Central Economic Commission. 

Nearly 500 businesses joined last year's programme and up to 23 per cent were participating for the first time. Of them, 100 enterprises were recognised as the top sustainable businesses in Việt Nam in 2023. 

The typical businesses honoured in 2023 were those that had successfully implemented programmes related to sustainability and made great contributions to society for many consecutive years, including Nestlé Vietnam, AEON Vietnam, Vinamilk, Unilever Vietnam and Heineken.

Among the top 10 sustainable enterprises in the fields of trade-services and production, foreign-invested enterprises accounted for 40 per cent and Vietnamese enterprises made up 60 per cent, of which 25 per cent were enterprises with a majority of State capital.

According to the programme's organising committee, the top 10 enterprises in trade and services have contributed nearly VNĐ12 billion (US$506,000) to the State budget, equal to 0.64 per cent of the total budget revenue in 2022. With a total of more than 46,000 employees, the top 10 also achieved total revenues of nearly $10.8 billion.

Similarly, the 10 top manufacturing enterprises also generated revenues of nearly $7.6 billion and contributed more than $1.9 billion to the State budget, equivalent to 2.51 per cent of the total budget revenue in 2022.

Da Nang, WB to promote cooperation in digital database

The central city of Da Nang and the World Bank (WB) will be boosting cooperation in building digital database management as a crucial way towards full digitalisation and becoming a ‘smart’ city.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Ho Ky Minh asked the WB to support them in the use of digital database solutions for communities and businesses, during a working session.

Minh said Da Nang is operating 1,200 open data sources and shared data units and plans to bring in smart applications and platforms for all users in the city.

“The city identified being data centric as a key part in the digitalisation process in terms of digital government, the digital economy and digital society in forming the ‘smart’ city goal”, Minh said.

“Da Nang has introduced an overall design of ‘smart’ city in 2018 after applications of e-Government in 2015, digital data use in 2019 and the debut of Intelligence Operation Centre (IOC) in 2023.”

Da Nang launched an e-government system in 2014, making the IT infrastructure available for smart connections in air control, water management, rubbish collections and meteorology, earthquake and tsunami warnings, floods and erosion and sewage management systems.

Databases in land management, residential registration, business, public service, traffic, water and air quality monitoring and ambulance tracking system, were also available for use.

But he said that the city’s digitalisation process has been challenging, specifically when up against legal framework barriers, policy and human resources, which all need support and experience from the WB.

Kim Leng Tan, an expert from the WB, said the benefit from digital data management will result from the city’s data architecture and collective data sources in improving effectiveness and control.

He said the management of data will also help create better and safer systems in line with legal regulations.

Da Nang, in cooperation with Viettel and FPT is currently undergoing a full digital transformation in economy, education, healthcare, tourism, trade and industry, agriculture and e-Government.

The city has been accelerating the digitalisation process and aims to go on the list of ASEAN smart cities by 2030.

The WB has funded many key infrastructure projects in Da Nang over the past two decades, most recently it gave a 100 million USD investment to Da Nang University to improve infrastructure, increase financial support and improve management capacity./.

Quang Ninh sees tourism boom as summer starts

The northern province of Quang Ninh, which owns many tourist attractions from UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay to beaches and islands, has seen a boom in tourism activities since the beginning of summer – the peak tourism season.

Summer is an ideal time for parents to take their children who are on summer break, for vacations. In Quang Ninh, many destinations and entertainment venues have been full of tourists.

On June 1 alone, which was the International Children’s Day and Saturday, the Quang Ninh Museum welcomed 6,500 visitors, including 2,000 children.

Meanwhile, Sun World Ha Long, one of the major entertainment places in Ha Long city, served 15,000 tourists.At the same time, 6,728 visitors toured Ha Long Bay on the day, including 1,293 foreigners and 5,435 domestic travellers.

Dang Thi Thu Huong, a visitor from Hanoi showed her satisfaction about her family’s trip to Ha Long, adding that although it was very crowded in Sun World and other entertainment establishments, security and service quality were ensured.

In order to lure visitors, over the years, Quang Ninh has renovated its tourism services in accordance to international standards, while enhancing the quality of local cruise ships, and paying greater attention to environmental protection.

Besides, the province has introduced many new tourism products such as a heritage tour on cruise ships and music performances on Ha Long Bay.

Kofi Pothecary Dearden, a tourist from the UK, said that he has visited Ha Long Bay twice and wishes to have more vacations here as he and his family love the natural landscapes and hospitability of people here.

“I especially enjoy kayaking because I can freely explore and mingle with nature and enjoy wonderful moments. My family had extremely comfortable moments and will definitely come back here when we have the opportunity”.

This year, Quang Ninh expects to welcome 17 million visitors, including 3 million foreigners. To this end, it is rolling out such solutions as attracting tourists from Northeast Asia, China, Europe and the US, and developing new markets such as India, the Middle East, Russia and Australia through promotion activities.

The province will host 186 cultural and sporting events in 2024 to stimulate tourism, among them are many traditional events that have become trademarks of Quang Ninh such as Ha Long Summer Tourism Week 2024, Bach Dang Traditional Festival, Quang Ninh Ethnic Culture Day, a culinary festival, a three-region circus gala, OCOP Summer 2024 Fair, a national festival for music, Quang Ninh Open Golf Tournament and Ha Long Heritage Marathon.

It also plans to offer 62 more new tourism products in 2024.Endowed with natural advantages for marine tourism, Quang Ninh boasts a coastline of over 250 kilometres and more than 2,000 islands of various sizes that account for two-thirds of the total island count in Vietnam.

In particular, Ha Long Bay, literally “the bay of descending dragons”, is recognised as a world natural heritage site by UNESCO twice, in 1994 for its globally outstanding aesthetic merit and in 2000 for its geological - geomorphological value./.

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes