Inflation

Non-communicable diseases are still on the rise in Vietnam, and thus more choice and more modern answers are required, Photo: Le Toan Pfizer plans to bring numerous innovative medicines to Vietnam over the next four years. This is in line with its global strategy, as the company has made significant progress towards launching 19 new products over an 18-month span, having executed 11 launches so far. According to Pfizer, the company continues to build momentum, recently attaining key milestones for several products, including the US launches of Prevnar 20 in paediatric patients; as well as US approvals and launches of several other key medicines Darrell Oh, country manager of Pfizer Vietnam, told VIR, “Pfizer Vietnam will continue focusing our business where we believe we can have the greatest impact on patients and society – pursuing what we believe to be the most innovative biopharmaceutical therapies and vaccines.” “More than ever, we believe that the innovative industry … [Read more...] about Innovative medicine sales top the list for multinationals

Benefit consultants from Mercer, Aon and Willis Towers Watson see employer healthcare costs jumping 5.4% to 8.5% in 2024 due to medical inflation, soaring demand for costly weight-loss drugs and wider availability of high-priced gene therapies. A survey conducted by Mercer, a unit of Marsh McLennan, found over two thirds of employers either do not plan to shift any cost increase to their staff or will pass on less than the expected rise in 2024. "They don't want to add more financial stress on employees who are also coping with inflation, especially in this time where they're really relying on their health benefits as a way to keep employees working for them," said Beth Umland, Mercer's director of health & benefits research. U.S. consumer prices accelerated 3.7% in the 12 months through August, down from a peak of 9.1% in June last year. However, medical cost increases usually lag general inflation as contracts between insurers and hospitals for the prices of procedures are … [Read more...] about US employers to see biggest healthcare cost jump in a decade in 2024

Amid the current financial landscape, how do you see the investment appetites of global investors evolving? From the escalating interest rates that echo the world’s financial concerns to brewing geopolitical tensions, uncertainty seems to be the new norm. Louis Nguyen, chairman and CEO of Saigon Asset Management This environment has led many investors to tread with caution. A conservative streak is becoming more apparent, with a pronounced shift towards liquidity. Increasingly, investors, whether individual or institutional, are preferring the relative safety of cash holdings over more volatile investments. Vietnam, too, reflects this broader sentiment of caution. But for this Southeast Asian nation, the complexities run deeper. Beyond the external geopolitical and economic factors that influence global investment behaviours, Vietnam grapples with its own unique set of challenges. Recent internal events and policy indecisions have contributed to an atmosphere … [Read more...] about Compelling business model essential for success

Headquarters of the State Bank of Vietnam in Hà Nội. Some experts believe the SBV can still cut the policy interest rate further as its current priority is to lower interest rates to promote credit growth and support economic growth. — Photo sbv.gov.vn Experts have different forecasts about the time when the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) will lower its policy interest rate. While some experts expect the rate to decrease by 0.5-1 percentage point at the end of the third or fourth quarter of this year, others believe the rate will be kept unchanged. According to some experts, although rising pressure on the foreign exchange rate and inflation are the main factors affecting the SBV's ability to continue lowering the policy rates in the remaining months of this year, the SBV can still cut the rate further as its current priority is to lower interest rates to promote credit growth and support economic growth. Banking expert Nguyễn Trí Hiếu forecasts that deposit interest rates will … [Read more...] about Different forecasts made for policy interest rates in the rest of 2023