Stocks ended the first trading day of 2018 in the green on the two national stock exchanges, reflecting investors’ optimism about the market outlook this year.

 Vietnam’s strongest male badminton players will compete at the Princess Sirivannavari Thailand Masters which is scheduled for January 9-14 in Bangkok.

As of December 31, 2017, the total assets of the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank) reached VND1.05 quadrillion ($46 billion).

It was a positive end for the Vietnamese manufacturing sector in 2017 with the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rising to 52.5 in December from November’s 51.4.

The growth rate of co-working space has been 53 percent globally over the last five years, while in Vietnam, co-working space supply has been growing 58 percent per year.

Vietnam had a successful sporting 2017, and the country’s athletes hope to build on this solid foundation at the Asian Games, the AFF Cup and various domestic and international events.

 An overseas Vietnamese in Australia has purchased the printed version of the photo titled “World’s most beautiful old woman” by French photographer Réhahn Croquevielle for 30,000 USD, according to the photographer.

 Eight more villages in Me Linh and Phu Xuyen districts in Hanoi have recently been recognised as craft villages by the municipal People’s Committee.

The Ministry of Information of Cambodia has presented the Order of Cooperation and Friendship to 12 Vietnamese diplomats and press correspondents in recognition of their sound cooperation with the ministry and other relevant Cambodian agencies.

 A seven-year-high growth rate, being listed among the world’s top 10 cities with fastest tourism growth, and breakthroughs in administrative reforms were some of Hanoi’s achievements in 2017.

 The Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) will organise 15 auctions to offload 559 million shares in January.

 Top 10 economic events of Vietnam in 2017

 VietNamNet Bridge – The organiser, HCM City Law newspaper, has announced five candidates for the Fair Play Awards 2017.

 Customs officers at Noi Bai International Airport on January 2 reported that they have uncovered a case of transporting African ivory tusks and African ivory tusk products from Hanoi to Thailand.  

When talking about Kon Tum, one thinks of the majestic Ngoc Linh mountains, Chu Mom Ray National Park, war-torn battlefields, wooden stilt houses and nha rong (communal houses) of the Ba Na ethnic people 

 Eleven Japanese films will be screened at the Le Do Cinema in Da Nang City from January 5-7 and 13-14 as part of an annual cultural exchange programme between Japan and the central city.  

 VietNamNet Bridge – Doctors at the Ha Noi Medical University Hospital have successfully removed a large tumor from a man’s testicles.

 To improve openness and transparency, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has asked contractors to make their bids accessible to the public on the National Procurement Network (NPN).

 VietNamNet Bridge – Tet (Lunar New Year) bonuses in HCM City are expected to rise 10.8 per cent compared to last year, with the average bonus being VND8.3 million (US$364), 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam plans each year to send 100,000 to 120,000 labourers to other countries by 2020, according to Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs.