Vietnam’s labour productivity has increased more slowly than economic growth, and one of the most effective ways to sort out the problem is to boost foreign-invested and local firm linkages.

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam spent big money to build a deep-water port but did not build infrastructure for ships to go in and out of the port.

To attract investment in the renewable energy sector, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has confirmed that a mechanism to allow businesses to buy power at competitive prices from renewable energy generators will be piloted in 2018.

Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Chairman of the NA Committee on Science, Technology, and Environment, sheds some light on how to prevent Vietnam from becoming a dumping ground for the world’s obsolete technology and equipment.

 With hefty experience in distribution and retail, Mobile World, FPT Retail, Digiworld, and Nguyen Kim have been entering pharmaceutical retail, but who will seize control?

VietNamNet Bridge - A number of small securities companies changed hands in 2017. The buyers were mostly from China and South Korea. 

The Vietnam Private Sector Forum (VPSF) will try to create a space for businesses to voice out their proposals. 

According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), in the fourth quarter of 2017, 44.8 per cent of firms reported better business performance in Q4 than Q3.

After a strong rally of 30 per cent in stock price over the past four months, Mobile World Group (ticker MWG) saw back-to-back divestments from numerous of foreign funds.

Vietnamese firms were urged to increase their focus on intangible assets to strengthen brand value at a recent conference jointly held by Brand Finance and its local representative Mibrand Vietnam in Hanoi.

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has officially extended a policy allowing exporters to take loans in foreign currencies for another year instead of stopping it on December 31 as planned.

Calls for investing in bitcoin are numerous on the internet, with many ‘secret societies’ set up persuading people to deposit bitcoins.

 Foreign direct investment (FDI) capital registered to Vietnam topped US$29.68 billion with the impressive return of billion US dollar projects.

VietNamNet Bridge - China is among the four biggest foreign direct investors, and Chinese investors have contributed $280 million worth of capital to 593 projects in Vietnam.

 The demand for ornamental fish in the country is large but fish breeders in HCM City have not fully exploited this market because of their small scale of production.

 The country’s cement sector saw a successful year in 2017 as its consumption reached 80 million, up 6 per cent from last year.

 More firms in Vietnam are turning to bonds for funding, but experts believe that the Vietnamese corporate bond market has a long way to go before it can attract foreign investors.

VietNamNet Bridge - Boeing’s partner and strategic supplier Huneed Technologies has expressed its willingness to build a factory to make electrical wires for aircraft in HCMC. 

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam plans to list 10 banks on the stock market this year, but only four have implemented the listing so far. Others are still consulting with shareholders.

VietNamNet Bridge - Truong Trong Nghia, a NA Deputy, at the working session with the HCMC People’s Committee, warned that the two banks of Sai Gon River are being ‘privatized’.