Vietnam Morning News For March 8

Vietnam electricity prices to rise by 8.36 pct this month
The Ministry of Industry and Trade says electricity prices will go up 8.36 percent starting this month to cover rapidly rising costs.
— VnExpress

Vietnam placed among the most optimistic countries globally
Vietnam slides to fourth among the most optimistic countries globally in the final quarter of 2018 from the second ranking in the previous three months, in terms of positive consumer index.
— Vietnam Insider

“Vietnam’s farm product exports will face difficulties this year”
At the Vietnam Agricultural Production and Consumption Promotion Forum 2019 in Ha Noi, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguyen Xuan Cuong, stated that the consumption of farm products is expected to face difficulties this year, as there will be increased competition in the global market.
— Fresh Plaza

ADB, WB steps up online bidding in Vietnam
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank (WB) have decided to use the Vietnam National E-Procurement System (VNEPS) to conduct online bidding for construction and goods supply contracts for their projects.
— VietnamPlus

Technology reshaping Vietnam retail sector
The rapid growth of the digital economy in the past few years has speeded up the evolution of the retail industry and changed consumers’shopping behaviours, requiring retailers to innovate to better serve customers’ diverse needs and provide them with better shopping experiences.
— Eleven Myanmar

VN ranks fourth in world in consumer confidence in Q4
Việt Nam ranked fourth in the world in its Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) of 122 percentage points (pp) in the final quarter of last year, according to the Conference Board Global Consumer Confidence Survey conducted in collaboration with Nielsen, a global measurement company.
— Viet Nam News

Entobel builds commercial-scale insect protein factory in Vietnam
Entobel, a biotech company specialized in insect-derived feed protein, with production activities based in Vietnam since 2013, has raised €1m (US$1.13m) in funding, and its first commercial production plant is just about to go live.
— Feed Navigator

Vietnam promotes tourism at world’s leading travel show in Berlin
Fifty-eight leading travel and resort companies from Vietnam are participating in the 2019 International Tourism Exchange Berlin (ITB), the world’s leading travel trade show, in Germany from March 6-10.
— VNA NET

Vietnam jails 15 over anti-China protests
Vietnam on Thursday (Mar 7) jailed 15 people for “causing public disorder” after violent demonstrations last year over a proposed investment project that protesters said catered to Chinese firms.
— Channel NewsAsia

Toll road operators asked to install ETC systems before year-end
Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The has affirmed that investors in Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contracts will have to stop collecting fees if they don’t install electronic toll collection (ETC) systems by the end of this year.
— VNA NET

Comrade Kim goes to Vietnam: some key takeaways from the KCTV documentary
North Korea’s 78-minute film downplayed the DPRK-U.S. summit, stressed importance of ties with Hanoi.
— NK News

Hai Phong offers free wifi to 10 workers’ rental house areas
The Federation of Labour in the northern city of Hai Phong on March 6 launched a free wifi network for workers living in rented houses.
— VNA NET

Tranport minister tells toll road operators to get into gear
Investors in Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contracts will be asked to stop collecting fees if they don’t apply electronic toll collection (ETC) by the end of the year.
— Viet Nam News

Protecting “Made in Vietnam” brand
According to the European Union (EU) statistics, the export of electric bicycles from Vietnam to the EU has been increasing sharply with nearly 139,000 units in 11 months of 2018, worth EUR66.9 million, an increase of 47.4% in terms of numbers and 22.6% in terms of export value over the same period in 2017.
— Nhan Dan Online

Free coffee for visitors at Buon Ma Thuot coffee festival
Domestic and foreign visitors will be treated to free coffee at the seventh Buon Ma Thuot coffee festival to be held from March 9-16 in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak.
— VNA NET

Hanoi air quality improves, still among Southeast Asia’s worst
Hanoi has seen air quality improve over the past year but it remains one of Southeast Asia’s most polluted cities.
— Vietnam Insider

Digital economy needs supporting policies: experts
The Vietnamese Government should outline policies to promote breakthrough technologies and bolster digital economic development amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution, World Bank Country Director for Viet Nam, Osmane Dione said yesterday.
— Bizhub

Hanoi Paragon Hill Resort wins three Vietnamese records
The Hanoi Paragon Hill Resort in Van Hoa commune, Hanoi’s outskirts district of Ba Vi, has been recognised for setting three records by the Vietnam Record Association.
— VNA NET

Shackle-free growth seen for Vietnam retail chains
Industry insiders say chains are set to ride high on retail sector potential with annual growth of 20-30 percent.
— VnExpress

Women power helps boost Việt Nam’s economy
Women are taking a larger part in Việt Nam’s economy and backing women entrepreneurs will help the country boost growth.
— Viet Nam News

PM passes securities market plan
Prime Minister Nguy Xuân Phúc has approved a new plan that focuses on restructuring the securities market until 2025.
— Viet Nam News

Innovation key to retail industry’s success
Renovation, innovation and disruption are the drivers that will help retailers integrate into the tech world and the creative economy, speakers said on Thursday at a retail technology summit held in HCM City.
— Viet Nam News

Green Climate Fund helps Quang Nam adapt to climate change
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) will continue supporting the central province of Quang Nam’s climate change adaptation efforts this year by sponsoring the construction of flood-proof houses and the cultivation of mangrove forests.
— VNA NET

Sao Mai Group plans to pay dividend in shares
Construction and real estate group Sao Mai (ASM) on March 20 will finalise the list of beneficial shareholders that will receive bonus shares for 2017 and 2018’s performance.
— Viet Nam News

Seeking low-end profits in Vietnam cannot last long
With increasing discussions about Vietnam’s “miracle growth,” a Vietnamese image of aggressive economic development has gone viral on social media in recent days.
— Global Times

Customs to stop accepting cash
Payments of import-export taxes and fees to customs authorities must all be conducted via cashless payment methods or through credit institutions from the beginning of April, according to a requirement recently issued by the General Department of Việt Nam Customs.
— Viet Nam News

Quang Tri to implement 30 large-scale projects
The central province of Quang Tri will carry out 30 large-scale projects with the total investment of about 100 trillion VND (4.31 billion USD) in 2019.
— VietnamPlus

VN-Index fail to maintain 1,000 points
Although the VN-Index successfully surpassed the 1,000-point landmark on Thursday morning, it did not maintain the uptrend in the afternoon as the large selling force put pressure on many large-caps.
— Viet Nam News

Tata Coffee announces the launch of their first off-shore coffee production unit in Vietnam
Tata Coffee Vietnam Company Limited, a 100% subsidiary of Tata Coffee, unveiled their state-of-the art freeze-dried coffee production plant Vietnam, at a grand ceremony, on March 6.
— Nhan Dan Online

MB snaps up 47 million treasury shares for $56m
Military Joint Stock Commercial Bank (MB) has bought back 47 million treasury shares for VNĐ1.3 trillion (US$56 million).
— Viet Nam News

Lawmakers speed up addressing transport problems
The National Assembly’s Justice Committee on March 6 asked relevant ministries to analyse shortcomings in road and railway transport.
— VNA NET

Int’l furniture, home accessories fair opens in HCM City
The 2019 Việt Nam International Furniture and Home Accessories Fair (VIFA-EXPO 2019) opened on Wednesday at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre in HCM City, with the participation of 514 local and international exhibitors.
— Viet Nam News

Binh Duong to develop industry, smart services
The southern province of Binh Duong plans to focus on developing industry and smart services in 2019 by improving cooperation between the State, businesses and scientists, and promoting international exchanges.
— VNA NET

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