Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Commercial banks that underwrite and sell corporate bonds have to buy them back if investors so demand, the central bank has said. It followed a meeting with voters (members of the public) the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) held in Ho Chi Minh City amid the ongoing bond market troubles. Besides asking for underwriting banks to take responsibility for redeeming bonds, the voters also urged the SBV to tighten inspection of credit institutions to ensure they comply with regulations while investing in bonds. The SBV recently raided 11 banks and fined a number of them for violating regulations related to bond purchases. Under current regulations, banks must have an internal credit rating system and can only buy bonds if their bad debts ratio is below 3%. For bonds sold in the domestic market, when issuers cannot pay in full and on time the bond principal and interest, they must negotiate with bondholders for extending the term … [Read more...] about Banks underwriting bonds should buy back bonds: Central bank
Expectations of returns and p e ratios change over time
Visa upgrade at heart of fresh approach to tourism
Visas, service quality, and technology were all part of discussions on a better-performing tourism sector Photo: Cuong Minh May’s National Assembly session is likely to help push ahead a revamp of the country’s rules on entry and exit for foreign visitors, after the Ministry of Public Security crafts amendments to the current law. The development will be an important basis for the issuance of new regulations related to the visa policy, removing difficulties for the tourism industry, and creating conditions to attract more international visitors this year, according to most observers. Dang Tuan Viet, deputy director of the Ministry of Public Secrutity’s (MoPS) Vietnam Immigration Department, said that the proposal emphasised two major areas related to unilateral visa exemption and electronic visa policy. The MoPS also proposes to expand the number of countries that can issue e-visas from 80 countries to the maximum. The MoPS will also ask to increase the temporary stay … [Read more...] about Visa upgrade at heart of fresh approach to tourism
Walt Disney Co begins 7,000 layoffs
Walt Disney Co on Monday began 7,000 layoffs announced earlier this year, as it seeks to control costs and create a more "streamlined" business, according to a letter Chief Executive Bob Iger sent to employees and seen by Reuters. Several major divisions of the company - Disney Entertainment, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, and corporate - will be impacted, according to a person familiar with the matter. ESPN is not touched by this week's round of cuts, but is anticipated to be included in later rounds. The entertainment industry has undergone a retrenchment since its early euphoric embrace of video streaming, when established media companies lost billions as they launched competitors to Netflix Inc. Media companies started to rein in spending when Netflix posted its first loss of subscribers in a decade in early 2022, and Wall Street began prioritizing profitability over subscriber growth. Iger said Disney would begin notifying the first group of employees who are … [Read more...] about Walt Disney Co begins 7,000 layoffs
Belgians hunt ‘third man’ after Islamic State bombings
BRUSSELS, March 24 - A "third man" seen with two Islamic State suicide bombers at Brussels Airport was the focus of a Belgian manhunt on Thursday after police identified three others, including two brothers, who killed at least 31 people at the airport and on a city metro train. Turkey's president criticised Belgium for failing to track Brahim El Bakraoui, a convicted Belgian armed robber whom it deported last year and who blew himself up at the airport on Tuesday an hour before his brother Khalid, a fellow convict, killed some 20 people at Maelbeek metro station in the city centre. The third bomber, security sources told Belgian media, was Najim Laachraoui, a veteran Belgian Islamist fighter in Syria suspected of making explosive belts for November's Paris attacks and who also detonated a suitcase bomb at the airport. The "third man", captured on airport security cameras pushing a baggage trolley into the departures hall alongside Laachraoui and Brahim El Bakraoui, is now the … [Read more...] about Belgians hunt ‘third man’ after Islamic State bombings
Over 85% of major Vietnamese companies are committed to ESG standards
Vietnamese companies prioritize environmentally friendly and sustainable practices as part of their efforts to ensure long-term growth. More than 85% of Vietnam's 500 fastest-growing companies (FAST 500) have committed or plan to comply with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, according to a survey conducted by the Vietnam Report Company (Vietnam Report). Electronics production at SGK Company (Chuong My Industrial Park), a component supplier for Samsung. Photo: The Hanoi Times As the global community continues to prioritize environmentally friendly and sustainable practices, Vietnam is also placing a great deal of emphasis on achieving carbon neutrality by the year 2050. FAST500 companies are aware of the importance of ESG standards and are in the process of adopting this strategy, the report states. Specifically, 14.8% of companies surveyed had initiated and implemented some of their ESG obligations, while 37% had fully planned and … [Read more...] about Over 85% of major Vietnamese companies are committed to ESG standards
WMH backs Vietnamese retail talent to work in Japan
. People Link is looking for Vietnamese retail workers who speak Japanese and English. If selected, the workers will be hired and trained by WMH in the necessary retail skills and be fully supported to live and work in Japan. WMH will conduct the necessary procedures before travelling, such as visa applications, job interviews, residence selection, and flight bookings, while the workers undergo a high-level online training course in fashion sales. Upon arrival in Japan, they will be ready to work in Japanese retail under the same conditions as Japanese staff, including salary and insurance. In Japan, with the significant relaxation of border measures and the impact of the yen's depreciation, the number of inbound tourists is rapidly increasing. According to the Japanese National Tourism Organisation, the number of foreign visitors to Japan in January was almost 1.5 million, about 60 per cent for the same period in pre-pandemic 2019. At that time, the demand for visiting … [Read more...] about WMH backs Vietnamese retail talent to work in Japan
Experts call for institutional and policy reforms to unlock Viet Nam’s digital future
VPBank provides QR codes for its services. — VNA/VNS Photo Tran Viet For Viet Nam to fully tap into the digital future, experts say institutions and policies must be reformed to reflect Government commitments. Phung Anh Tuan, executive vice chairman and secretary general at Viet Nam Association of Financial Investors (VAFI), passed the remarks at the Fintech Revolution Summit in Ha Noi on Monday. The summit is taking place on Monday and Tuesday in Ha Noi and is attended by BFSI experts, fintech leaders, ministry and central bank authorities, investors and corporates across Viet Nam. The Vietnamese Government is advocating the development of a digital economy and promoting industrial revolution 4.0, said Tuan. Many directives have been on promoting non-cash and electronic payments, including Resolution 02, dated January 1, 2019, and Decision 1813, dated October 28, 2021. The policy and law-making process should reflect the Government's commitments, noted Tuan. The VAFI … [Read more...] about Experts call for institutional and policy reforms to unlock Viet Nam’s digital future