BANGKOK -- Thailand and Vietnam are in talks on a pact to raise the price of their rice exports to increase their leverage in the global market and improve farmer incomes, a Thai government official said on Friday. Agriculture officials from Thailand and Vietnam, the world's second and third biggest rice exporters, met in Bangkok on Friday to discuss joint measures to support their farmers and rice industries and manage growing production costs. "We aim to raise rice prices, increase farmer income and increase bargaining power in the global market," Thai government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said in a statement after discussions on the sidelines of a farms expo. "The rice price has been low for more than 20 years while the cost of production has been increasing." Vietnam's agriculture ministry could not immediately be reached for comment. Vietnam and Thailand account for roughly 10% of global production of rough rice, and about 26% of global exports, according … [Read more...] about Thailand aims for pact with Vietnam to raise rice prices
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E-bike buyers face serious sticker shock amid rising gasoline prices
Increased fuel prices are wreaking havoc across the transportation industry in Vietnam as costs of once wallet-friendly alternatives, such as e-bikes, ride-hailing services, and budget airlines all steadily rise as a result. To combat the problem, the government is considering proposals to cut taxes on gasoline and oil, according to the National Assembly (NA). Ripple effect Nguyen Tri, sales manager for electric bike brand PG, explained that the increased price of e-bikes and e-scooters is due to the rising costs associated with transporting the bikes to sales outlets and distributors. According to Tri, PG had resisted raising rates at the beginning of the year despite spare part shortages and rising transport costs, but once fuel in Vietnam surpassed VND30,000 (US$1.28) per liter and transport operators hiked fees by 10 percent in March, the firm was left with no choice. “The increased prices of input materials, such as aluminum, steel, and electric wires have forced the … [Read more...] about E-bike buyers face serious sticker shock amid rising gasoline prices
Housing market sees price increase, liquidity decrease
Land and housing prices have increased by 20-25 per cent in urban areas. — VNA/VNS Photo Experts have warned that the high rate of inflation will cause the domestic housing market to continuously see prices increase, but liquidity decrease. According to real estate consultant Le Quoc Kien, the market from the middle of last year until now has seen low transactions as the land and housing prices have increased by 20-25 per cent in the urban areas and 30 per cent in the suburban areas. Meanwhile, the price has surged by 50 per cent in the neighbouring provinces. Therefore, he predicts that investors who do not face the pressure of bank debt will not sell real estate in the next 6-12 months because they will have to look for other assets. They do not want to keep cash in a period of high inflation. Meanwhile, investors who suffer pressure from banking loans will be forced to sell property when inflation is high. According to the General Statistics Office, core inflation in April … [Read more...] about Housing market sees price increase, liquidity decrease
Asian markets track Wall St higher, tech fuels Hong Kong rally
Asian markets track Wall St higher, tech fuels Hong Kong rally- illustration photo source: freepik.com The positive mood put the region on course to end the week on a healthy note, and came after Federal Reserve minutes indicated the US central bank could take a breather in hiking interest rates if inflation shows signs of easing later in the year. Still, confidence on trading floors remains at a premium owing to a range of crises including soaring prices, tighter monetary policy, China's Covid-19 lockdowns and the war in Ukraine. Investors were in a buying mood Friday as Hong Kong jumped more than two percent, with market heavyweight Alibaba piling on more than 11 percent and search engine Baidu advancing 15 percent. The two firms posted better-than-expected sales growth in the January-March quarter, soothing fears about the impact of Covid and inflation on their bottom lines. Hong Kong's tech index jumped nearly three percent, with other giants also enjoying buying … [Read more...] about Asian markets track Wall St higher, tech fuels Hong Kong rally
Vietnam’s long-term credit rating upgraded to “BB+”: S&P
S&P forecast Vietnam’s GDP will grow 6.9% in 2022 before settling closer to its long-term trend of growing 6.5%-7% from 2023 onward. S&P Global Ratings on May 26 raised its long-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings on Vietnam to 'BB+' from 'BB'. S&P expects Vietnam's economy to continue its upward trend. Source: S&P The rating agency also affirmed the country’s short-term rating at ‘B’ with a stable outlook. “The stable outlook reflects our expectations that over the next 12-24 months, Vietnam's economy will continue to recover from the challenges posed by the pandemic over the past two years. This will support the external position and rein in fiscal deficits,” it noted. S&P added it could raise the ratings if Vietnam's institutional settings improve considerably, in ways that augment policy predictability and transparency. Such favorable changes in the policy environment could bolster investor confidence in the … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s long-term credit rating upgraded to “BB+”: S&P
Vietnamese textile-garment industry strong but not stable
Garment production for export at Kim Dung Textile and Garment Company in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: SGGP) Dependence on imported raw materials Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, said that the total number of enterprises participating in the textile and garment sector in Vietnam, including foreign and domestic enterprises, is more than 7,000. Of which, only 18 percent of them produce fabric materials, 12 percent produce yarn, 2 percent produce other materials, and the rest are garment enterprises. This fact has put the textile industry in front of the challenge of unstable growth due to its dependence on imported raw materials. Currently, each year, Vietnam imports 100 percent of cotton with an estimated value of US$3.2 billion and 60 percent of fabric with an estimated value of $14 billion. The US is the largest cotton and fabric import market of Vietnam, followed by China, Japan, South Korea, and … [Read more...] about Vietnamese textile-garment industry strong but not stable
Millions of travelers book tours for summer vacation
People and tourists choose to buy tours at the Hong Ngoc Ha travel booth during Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival 2022 Specifically, national carriers Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and the Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO) have prepared to supply more than 7.1 million seats during the peak summer season from June 1 to August 15, an increase of 10 percent compared to the same period before the Covid-19 epidemic. On average, during the peak summer season, these airlines will operate 430 domestic flights, especially those to Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City. With international routes, Vietnam Airlines and Pacific Airlines provide over 852,000 seats, equivalent to more than 3,600 flights, only 40 percent of the number in 2019 because international travel demand has not recovered as before. Vietravel Airlines also said that the demand for travel and tourism will increase, so it has planned to increase the number of aircraft and frequency of flights to the Central … [Read more...] about Millions of travelers book tours for summer vacation
Draft revised law on domestic violence control submitted to parliament
Chairwoman of the NA’s Committee for Social Affairs Nguyen Thuy Anh delivers a verification report on the draft revised Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control on May 27. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The draft revised Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control was submitted to the National Assembly (NA) at its ongoing third session in Hanoi on May 27. Authorised by the Prime Minister, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung presented the proposal, noting that after nearly 15 years of enforcement, the law has helped improve public awareness of domestic violence prevention and control, thus protecting victims, dealing with domestic violence and legal violations, and improving gender equality in families. However, despite certain achievements, domestic violence remains a problem. Given this, the amendments aim to improve regulations so as to better protect human rights under the 2013 Constitution, enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of … [Read more...] about Draft revised law on domestic violence control submitted to parliament
Hanoi parents brace for tuition hikes
After a year of not raising tuition fees due to the impacts of Covid-19, the Hanoi people's council passed a resolution on May 20 to hike public preschool and high school tuition fees for the 2022-23 academic year. The fees would double at first and subsequently increase by 20-40 percent every year. Sen, 43, lives in Hanoi’s Ha Dong District with her husband and two daughters, the other in 10th grade. She cleans houses for hourly wages while her husband is a laborer. They pay the highest tuition rate since their household registration is in Region 1, which comprises the capital’s inner districts. In addition, she may be required to pay VND300,000 ($12.93) per child per month for the following academic year, which is 1.4-2 times the current fee. Tuition fees for middle and high schools in Region 1 will gradually rise over the next three years to VND410,000, VND530,000, and VND650,000, respectively. Meanwhile, Sen and her husband's incomes fluctuate every month: Sometimes … [Read more...] about Hanoi parents brace for tuition hikes
US stocks rally again as China premier warns on Covid-hit economy
US stocks rally again as China premier warns on Covid-hit economy, illustration photo source: freepik.com After a positive session in Europe, the S&P 500 finished Thursday's session up two percent, positioning the broad-based US index to potentially snap a seven-week losing streak depending on Friday's session. "The market was very oversold, and way overdue to bounce," Adam Sarhan of 50 Park Investment said shortly before the market closed. "And what's happening now, the market is bouncing pretty strong." Stock markets have taken a beating this year as central banks have begun to raise interest rates in order to curb the highest consumer price rises in decades. But US stocks pushed higher on Wednesday after investors took a positive view of the Federal Reserve minutes, which raised hopes that while the central bank would move aggressively to lift interest rates, it might be able to halt additional rate hikes as soon as this summer if inflation recedes. Wall Street kept … [Read more...] about US stocks rally again as China premier warns on Covid-hit economy