Home buyers with cash

A construction site of Phat Dat Real Estate Development Joint Stock Company (PDR). PDR reported net revenue of VND14.6 billion (US$622,600) in the last 3 months of 2022. — VNA/VNS Photo A volatile real estate market caused revenues and profits of realty businesses to decrease sharply in the fourth quarter of 2022. Phat Dat Real Estate Development Joint Stock Company (PDR) reported net revenue of VND14.6 billion (US$622,600) in the last three months of 2022, a sharp decrease compared to the VND1.29 trillion recorded in the fourth quarter of 2021. The company suffered an after-tax loss of VND229.4 billion in Q4 of 2022, while in the same period in 2021, it reported a net profit of VND751.4 billion. This was considered Phat Dat's "failure" quarter as the company reported a loss for the first time since it announced business results. Dat Xanh Group Joint Stock Company (DXG) reported a loss of VND460 billion in the last quarter of 2022. During the period, the company's net revenue … [Read more...] about Volatile real estate market puts pressure on business results

Vietnamese athletes will get US$1 million for each gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, $500,000 for silver, and $200,000 for bronze. The bonuses, which are the biggest rewards ever offered in Vietnam’s sports history, result from a deal signed by the Vietnam Olympic Committee (VOC) and a strategic partner of the International Sports Funding & Support Association (ISF) in South Korea that will sponsor the entire amount. As per the agreement, some key Vietnamese athletes and teams will go to South Korea for training. Dang Ha Viet, general director of the General Sports Administration of Vietnam under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, affirmed the ISF support will create a 'golden' chance for Vietnam to elevate its rankings in the regional, continental, and global arenas. The 2024 Summer Olympics are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024 with Paris as its main host city alongside 16 other French cities. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held … [Read more...] about Vietnam athletes offered $1mn for winning Paris Olympic gold medal

Demand for fresh foods increases ahead of the Ram Thang Gieng (the first full moon of the lunar year) as usual, but market prices have barely changed. The upcoming celebration of Ram Thang Gieng (the full moon of the first lunar month) marks a strong increase in demand for fresh food in the market, but prices have remained stable. People buy fruits at a traditional market in Hanoi to prepare dishes for the celebration of the first full moon in the lunar year. Photo: Hoai Nam/The Hanoi Times The first full moon of the lunar year falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. On that day, Vietnamese prepare some dishes in honor of the gods, Buddha, and ancestors, and pray for the happiness, luck, and prosperity of their relatives. In 2023, Ram Thang Gieng falls on January 4. Given such meaning,  demand for fresh and good quality food before and during the day tends to increase. In 2023, however, prices for raw and fresh foods are virtually unchanged … [Read more...] about Food prices rise slightly ahead of first full moon

Bangkok (VNA) - The Thai government has advised people to wear masks when going out and consider working from home on February 2 and 3 to avoid PM2.5 fine dust pollution, which is currently at a dangerously high level. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts PM2.5 levels will rise across much of the country on the two days as the fine-dust pollution accumulates in stagnant air. PM2.5 has been linked with heart and lung diseases as well as cancer. According to government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri , Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is concerned about people’s health, especially those of vulnerable groups, and advises them to wear sanitary or N95 masks when leaving the house, and to avoid prolonged outdoor activities. The PM also urged government agencies and businesses to consider a work-from-home approach to reduce air pollution from traffic. Anucha said those with chronic health problems or respiratory symptoms should consult a doctor before doing outdoor … [Read more...] about Thailand warns of dangerous fine-dust pollution

"This is the worst Tet (Lunar New Year) of my life," he said. The 27-year-old joined Google's new project development team in Silicon Valley last year after passing a series of rigorous interviews. This Tet , which began on January 22 this year, he took time off work to visit his family in Vietnam. On January 20, however, he received a shocking email dismissal letter. "Before I was fired, I didn't hear a word from the management team. I didn't have time to ask my coworkers what was going on because I was too busy with other things during Tet . I didn’t know what to tell my loved ones about this news," he lamented. Since his H-1B visa, a work visa with a cumulative maximum duration of six years, is set to expire in 60 days, he cut short his vacation and came back to the U.S. to complete the paperwork and get ready to start looking for a new job. Similar frustrations were felt by former Meta employee Hong Anh, who was in the U.S. with only a few weeks left on her visa … [Read more...] about Vietnamese tech workers high and dry amid layoffs in Silicon Valley

During a volleyball game broadcast on South Korea's KBSS Tuesday, South Korean volleyballer Lee Da-hyeon celebrated a point by dancing to the tune of "See Tinh." Kim Yeon-koung, South Korea’s top volleyballer, then joined in by imitating some of Lee’s moves. A video of the pair has garnered 37 million views on KBSSport’s TikTok account thanks to the comedic rapport between the two athletes. In May last year, Lee Seung-hoon from famous K-pop boy band Winner uploaded a clip of him dancing to "See Tinh" on TikTok that attracted 5 million views. A month later, Sunwoo of The Boyz and Shindong of Super Junior did the same thing. In late 2022, during a show in Vietnam, K-pop boy band BLANK2Y complimented the song for its catchiness. The group said they first heard it on TikTok. The song has also become popular on Douyin, a Chinese version of TikTok, which is home to millions of videos of people dancing to it. Actress Zhu Xudan danced to the song on a TV show in September last … [Read more...] about Vietnamese tune goes viral in South Korea, China

The decision by a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is the latest victory for gun rights advocates since a Supreme Court ruling last June granting a broad right for people to carry firearms outside the home. That ruling, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, announced a new test for assessing firearms laws, saying restrictions must be "consistent with this nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation," and not simply advance an important government interest. In Thursday's decision, Circuit Judge Cory Wilson said banning people under domestic violence restraining orders from owning firearms "embodies salutary policy goals meant to protect vulnerable people in our society." But the judge, appointed by Donald Trump, said the Bruen ruling made such a consideration irrelevant, and that from a historical perspective the ban was "an outlier that our ancestors would never have accepted." The court threw out the guilty plea and six-year … [Read more...] about People under domestic violence orders can own guns: US appeals court rules

While striking an optimistic tone on sales of services and iPhones, CEO Tim Cook said an uncertain economy is expected to hurt categories like gaming and digital advertising. Overall, Apple's leaders tried to reassure investors that despite the firm being buffeted by up-and-down sales cycles for its flagship device and vulnerable to supply chain shocks, the world's largest listed company remains on a steady - if somewhat slower - rise. And in the immediate aftermath of some of the company's worst financial results in years, at least some investors seemed to give Cook the benefit of the doubt, imposing only modest share price declines. For the just-ended quarter, Apple's profits missed Wall Street expectations for the first time since 2016, dragged down by iPhone sales falling for the first time since 2020. The stock was down about 2% after Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri said that iPhone sales were likely to improve compared with the quarter ended Dec. 31. That did not quite … [Read more...] about Apple forecasts another drop in revenue, proclaims iPhone production problems over

And while Amazon's holiday revenue beat Wall Street's expectations, the company believes sales growth in its long-lucrative cloud business will slow for the next few quarters, its chief financial officer told reporters. Shares fell 5% in after-hours trade, erasing most of their 7% gain before the market's close Thursday. Making a rare appearance on Amazon's quarterly call with financial analysts, Chief Executive Andy Jassy said "virtually every enterprise" was treading carefully on cloud and other costs in light of economic uncertainty. "We're going to help our customers find a way to spend less money," he said. "We're trying to build a set of relationships in business that outlasts all of us." Facing high inflation and recession fears, Jassy has embarked on extensive cost-cutting inside Amazon as well. Last month, the online retailer said more than 18,000 employees particularly in its commerce and human resources divisions would lose their jobs. It booked a $640 million … [Read more...] about Amazon’s outlook disappoints as customer budgets stay tight

The property market and corporate lending are key issues that need to be addressed, and the Cabinet has scheduled a meeting of ministers this month to resolve current issues, he told a meeting Thursday. The property market accounts for around 11% of GDP and has a close relationship with many industries that create a large number of jobs. But since last year it has been facing difficulties due to tightened credit, excessive supply and lack of transparency. Many projects have been suspended due to a cash shortage. Chinh warned the economy faces risks this year with exports seeming to slow down while the industrial production index in January declined by 8% year-on-year. It is difficult to attract foreign investment, while recovery programs have been delayed, he said. He called on the Ministry of Finance to quickly complete a bill that will amend regulation of bond issuances, both domestically and internationally. Work on large public projects needs to be accelerated to … [Read more...] about PM calls for fixing property market ills