Conduct gas test when required

Apple's resilient iPhone sales and Samsung's dominance amidst declining market According to Counterpoint Research, the smartphone market has been impacted by the recent economic difficulties. The report indicates that amidst challenging business conditions, retailers have had to revise their expansion plans and reassess their business strategies. Retail stores have reduced operating hours and lowered salaries due to the reduction in customers since the Lunar New Year. Initially, original equipment manufacturers misjudged the demand, resulting in high inventory levels. Subsequently, realising the actual situation, they rushed to offer discounts to clear the excess stock. All phone manufacturers, except for Apple, experienced a decline in sales in Q1. Glen Cardoza, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research stated, "The recovery of smartphone demand in Vietnam is expected to be slow in the second quarter of 2023 and will require time while the economy continues to face numerous … [Read more...] about Apple’s resilient iPhone sales and Samsung’s dominance amidst declining market

A Vietcombank employee talks to a customer at its office. The bank's shares surged by 1.5 per cent yesterday, lifting the VN-Index. — Photo courtesy of Vietcombank The Vietnamese stock market inched higher on Tuesday, extending its rally for the second day in a row. However, gains were capped by strong net selling activities by foreign investors. The benchmark VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) rose 3.07 points, or 0.29 per cent, to close the day at 1,078.05 points. It climbed more than 11.2 points, the biggest intraday gain in two weeks, on Monday thanks to the investor's improving risk appetite. Tuesday's rally helped push the index closer to the resistance level of 1,080 points, and may further test the zone of 1,085 - 1,090 points, according to ASEAN Securities Company. Similarly, analysts from Yuanta Securities (Vietnam) Company said that the benchmark was likely to retest the resistance zone of 1,080 - 1,085 points, and the market would continue its … [Read more...] about Market extends gain on positive sentiment

The delegation has completed activities within the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) 2023 and is en route to Makassar, South Sulawesi province, Indonesia for the fourth Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK-4). Departing Da Nang city on May 14, the ship is planned to return to Naval Region 3 on June 17. The long journey requires careful preparation of logistic supplies to ensure officers and soldiers’ health. Therefore, one of the important missions of Naval Region 3’s logistics sector is to provide standardized, nutritious meals that meet all requirements on food safety and hygiene. Below are photos logistics services on Ship 20. By Ngoc Hung from the Strait of Malacca, Malaysia Translated by Mai Huong … [Read more...] about A look at logistic supply guarantee on Ship 20

Latest figures from the central bank show that in late February the on-balance sheet non-performing ratio of the banking system stood at 2.91 per cent, an increase compared to 2.46 per cent in late 2016, 1.49 per cent in late 2021 and most recently, 2 per cent in late 2022. However, according to a State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) assessment, several sorts of debts have the potential to be turned into bad debts in the future, such as investment into corporate bonds for debt restructuring, hard-to-collect receivables, among others. “If such debts were considered, the non-performing loans (NPLs) ratio of the system might reach 5 per cent of total outstanding balances,” said SBV Governor Nguyen Thi Hong. One positive point is that credit institutions have been taking practical measures to ensure operational safety through boosting their loan loss reserve (LLR) funds for their bad debts . Accordingly, credit institutions have maintained a fairly high LLR ratio approximating … [Read more...] about How bad debts influence lending rates

The Central Highlands province of Dak Nong has recently discovered numerous artefacts belonging to inhabitants dating back 3,500 years. According to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, the artefacts were discovered during an excavation jointly conducted by the Dak Nong Museum and the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology in Village 12, Dak Sin Commune, Dak R’lap District early this month. Part of the artefacts found in Dak Nong (photo by My Hang) The objects include stone items such as axes, blade fragments, grinding tables, chisels and saws and around 6,300 pieces of pottery with a thickness of 0.5-0.8 cm. All of the artefacts obtained from the excavation process will be handed over to be stored at the Dak Nong Provincial Museum. The authorities of Dak Sin Commune have been urged to raise local awareness about the need to protect archaeological sites. … [Read more...] about Bronze age artefacts found in Dak Nong

Printer production at Canon Vietnam (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – Amid the slowing down of the global investment flows, experts held that improving both quality and number of foreign investment projects is a heavy task for Vietnam, requiring great efforts from the Vietnamese Government to fulfil the “dual targets”. According to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), as of May 20, Vietnam had drawn 10.86 billion USD of foreign direct investment (FDI), down 7.3% year on year, including 5.26 billion USD of newly-registered capital, up 27.8%. Do Nhat Hoang, Director of the agency said that the increase in the amount of newly-registered capital in five months was higher than the 11% recorded in the first four months of this year. Meanwhile, the number of new projects in the five-month period also surged 66.4% year on year to 962 projects, showing foreign investors’ strong confidence in the investment environment of Vietnam … [Read more...] about Improving FDI quality, quantity crucial for Vietnam: Insiders

An overview of the NA's fifth session. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) deputies will continue their ongoing fifth session on May 30 discussing important matters, including a draft Law on Electronic Transactions (revised) and a draft resolution on pilot special policies for the development of Ho Chi Minh City. The draft Law on Electronic Transactions (revised) has seven chapters and 54 articles. Compared to the current version, the bill has 31 new and nine amended articles, while erasing a number of regulations in five and eliminating three articles. During the morning discussion, NA deputies will decide the investment policy for the project to construct road from National Highway 27C to Road 656 in Khanh Hoa province which links to Lam Dong and Ninh Thuan provinces, as well as the adjustment of the investment policy for Ka Pet reservoir in Ham Thuan Nam district of Binh Thuan province. In the afternoon, they are scheduled to listen to a proposal and a … [Read more...] about NA deputies continue to discuss draft laws, resolutions on May 30

A worker collect latex at a rubber plantation in Lai Chau Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Vietnamese rubber exports to South Korea in the first four months of 2023 totalled 12,470 tonnes, valued at US$18.92 million, up 5.6 per cent in volume but down 15 per cent in value year-on-year, according to statistics from the General Department of Customs. Viet Nam's natural rubber is the primary product exported to South Korea. Particularly, the SVR 10 accounted for the largest portion of the total exported rubber, 28.05 per cent, followed by SVR CV60 and SVR 3L with 24.53 per cent and 14.44 per cent, respectively. The drop in value is attributed to the sharp decrease in average export price of all types of rubber over the same period in 2022. Thailand, Indonesia, China, Viet Nam, and the Philippines are the top five rubber suppliers to South Korea, with Viet Nam ranking fourth. However, the Vietnamese rubber market share is shrinking here, while the market shares of Indonesia, China, … [Read more...] about Viet Nam is South Korea’s 4th largest rubber supplier

Workers at Nhon Trach 2 Plant. — VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hung Fitch Ratings has affirmed PetroVietnam Power Corporation (PV Power)’s long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating (IDR) at “BB” with a positive outlook. This is the third consecutive year that PV Power has received “BB” rating with a positive outlook, the highest rating that a Vietnamese company can reach. The rating, which is based on PV Power's Standalone Credit Profile (SCP) assessment of “BB”, is on a par with the IDR of its 80 per cent parent, Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN, BB/Positive). PV Power's SCP is driven by its strong market position as Viet Nam's second-largest electricity producer, accounting for around 5 per cent of the country's total electricity output and 5 per cent of installed capacity in 2022. It also benefits from diversified fuel sources, long-term power-purchase agreements (PPAs) with Viet Nam Electricity (EVN, BB/Positive) for more than 80 per cent of its electricity output and a strong … [Read more...] about PV Power receives “BB” rating for third consecutive year

Seventy five years ago, during the national resistance war against the French colonialists, in order to boost Party and political work in GS’s organs, on June 8, 1948, in Ke Tam village, Diem Mac commune, Dinh Hoa district, Chief of the GS Hoang Van Thai decided to establish a Political Work Committee under the GS (currently the GS’s Department of Political Affairs). During the cause of construction and development, the department received great support of local people in Diem Mac commune to fulfill all assigned tasks. The journey was one of meaningful activities in celebration of the 75th founding anniversary of the GS’s Department of Political Affairs (June 8, 1948 – 2023). On the occasion, the department, in coordination with local authorities, held a ceremony to hand over “great unity” houses to two needy households of Mrs. La Thi Tu and Mr. Tran Van Nguyen. They also presented gifts to 20 policy households, 75 poor students with good academic results of Hoang Ngan … [Read more...] about Gratitude houses granted to needy households in Thai Nguyen province