Vietnam Morning News For January 29

Vietnamese export of wood, wooden products surpasses expectations in 2017
Vietnam’s wood and wooden product industry has prematurely achieved its export target set for 2020, as the sector ranked among the top ten areas that generated the highest export revenue for the country in 2017, according to statistics announced this week.
— Tuoi Tre

PV Gas seeking strategic foreign partner for 30% divestment by 2020
PetroVietnam Gas (PV Gas), a leading state-owned Vietnamese energy company, is seeking government approval for a divestment plan to sell 30% of its stock to a strategic partner by 2020.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Hanoi puts car policy in reverse
I shouldn’t be surprised, but Vietnam’s imposition of stringent checks on imported vehicles has sent shockwaves through international automakers, local consumers and also investors who see the country.
— Bangkok Post

Four foreign investors eye GENCO 3
Four foreign investors from India, Thailand, the Republic of Korea and the Middle East registered to buy 36 percent of the charter capital at the Power Generation Corporation 3 (GENCO 3) to become its strategic investors.
— VietnamNet Bridge

Vietnam’s largest state-owned shipping firm to be privatized in 2018
Up to 35 percent of Vinalines’ charter capital will be sold to local and foreign investors.
— VnExpress

Pepper industry prioritises quality
The pepper industry plans to reduce the area under the spice and focus instead on improving quality to ensure long-term growth, a seminar heard in HCM City on Thursday.
— Bizhub

Exclusive: Vingroup unit eyes stake in mobile device retailer Vien Thong A
VinPro, the electronics retail arm of Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, is mulling an investment into mobile device retailer Vien Thong A, two people aware of the development told this portal.
— DealStreetAsia

Bad debts auctions on the roll
In late 2017 and early 2018, thousands of billions of dongs were retrieved by domestic banks, giving off signals of a new bad debt market being born.
— VietnamNet Bridge

Vinamilk set to expand abroad
Dairy giant Vinamilk will continue to expand abroad, especially in emerging market like Laos and Myanmar, this year.
— Bizhub

MoIT announces vote for top exporters
The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has announced the vote for prestigious exporters of 2017, aimed at supporting local firms in promoting exports and expanding markets.
— VietnamNet Bridge

New law set to help weak banks recover: experts
Some weak banks that are undergoing restructuring might get out of the worse thanks to unprecedented support measures under a new law, experts have said.
— Bizhub

Supermarkets develop own brands
From the many cooking oils on a shelf at Co.opmart Dinh Tien Hoang supermarket, Nguyen Thanh Truc of District 1 has picked 2l bottles of Co.opmart soya cooking oil.
— VietnamPlus

SCG keen to acquire Long Son project
Thai Group asks government to allow it to increase its current 71% holding in long-stalled petroleum complex project.
— Vietnam Economic Times

Finance stocks push the VN-Index upwards
Shares cooled down a little on January 26 on the HCM Stock Exchange after a “crazy” session on January 25, backed by strong growth of finance stocks.
— VietnamPlus

Feature photo ILO/Nguyễn ViệtThanh

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