Vietnam has become an increasingly attractive destination for foreign investors. The international manufacturing sector is moving to Vietnam and more FDI is flowing into the country, showing growing confidence among investors in the market.

 Up to 70 percent of Vietnamese consumers put their spare cash into savings, ranking second globally, according to the Global Consumer Confidence Survey recently issued by Nielsen and The Conference Board.

 Free trade agreements (FTAs) in which Vietnam has joined are great momentum for the domestic garment-textile industry to attract investment, said an official of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS). 

 The Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force’s submarine Kuroshio docked at Cam Ranh International Port in the south central coastal province of Khanh Hoa on September 17, beginning a five-day visit to Vietnam.

 Three years after a groundbreaking decree opened public companies to foreign ownership, less than 4 percent of eligible firms have removed their foreign ownership ceiling.

 The poverty rate among households in the country is expected to drop to under 6 percent at the end of this year from 6.7 percent in 2017, the National Assembly Standing Committee heard at its 27th session on September 17.

 A repatriation ceremony of remains of US servicemen who died during the war in Vietnam was held at Da Nang International Airport on September 17. 

  The benchmark VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) lost 3.73 points to 987.61 points at the end of September 17, with 164.6 million shares worth over 3.9 trillion VND (167.2 million USD) traded.

 The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) under the US Department of Agriculture recently proposed that Vietnam would be eligible to export catfish and other fish products to the US market.

 The 35th ASEAN Social Security Association (ASSA) Board Meeting will take place in Nha Trang city, in the south central province of Khanh Hoa, on September 18-21.  

 A pilot passenger road transport route through Vietnam’s Hai Phong city and Hanoi and China’s Kunming city has been opened, expected to help promote trading activities between the two countries.

 Ho Chi Minh City will adopt incentives to encourage the private sector to develop social housing for sale and rent due to the city’s shortage of affordable homes for low-income families and industrial park workers.

 National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hosted a reception on September 17 for Hungarian Chief Prosecutor Peter Polt who is on a visit to Vietnam to expand cooperation with the country’s Supreme People’s Procuracy.

The Vietnam-Japan partnership has grown steadily, especially in labour cooperation, which has created great chances for Vietnamese labourers to seek jobs or study opportunities in Japan.

 Former England defender Joleon Lescott took part in an exchange with hundreds of children in the SOS Children's Villages International for Vietnam in Hanoi.

The lack of materials for processing and the unhealthy competition among tea producers are the consequence of the uncontrolled increase in the number of tea processing workshops.

 Typhoon Mangkhut is forecast to weaken into a tropical depression over September 17, but will still cause heavy downpours in many areas in northern and southern Vietnam, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

More foreign invested real estate projects have been registered recently, while more M&A deals in the sector have also been reported.

Since 2008, the number of foreigners working in Vietnam has increased steadily by 8 percent per annum. With that, the market of serviced apartments for lease in large cities has attracted many investors.

 The Vietnamese shrimp exporters have been in a tough year in 2018 as world supply saw strong increases that brought down both shrimp price and demand in major markets.