Sea level not rising

NEW YORK/LONDON -- Global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity shrank to its lowest level in more than a decade in the first quarter of 2023, as rising interest rates, high inflation and fears of a recession soured the appetite of companies for dealmaking. M&A volumes during the first quarter slumped 48% to $575.1 billion as of March 30, compared to $1.1 trillion during the same period last year, according to data from Dealogic. A banking crisis that started in the United States this month with Silicon Valley Bank and spread to Europe with the Swiss government-orchestrated sale of Credit Suisse Group AG (CSGN.S) to UBS Group AG (UBSG.S) roiled markets and stopped many deals in their tracks, investment bankers and lawyers said. "The first quarter had extraordinary levels of volatility and uncertainty - more than expected going into the year. And that has the impact of postponing some announcements," said Anu Aiyengar, global head of M&A at JPMorgan Chase & … [Read more...] about Global dealmaking sinks to lowest level in over a decade

A meeting session of UN General Assembly. (Photo: VNA) New York (VNA) – A global problem, climate change requires a global approach based on multilateral cooperation and institutions, particularly the respect for international law and the UN Charter, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), has said. Vietnam’s engagement in UN resolution that urges the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to outline nations' legal obligations related to curbing climate change disasters and their impacts on vulnerable communities proves the country’s point of view, the ambassador said in a recent interview to the Vietnam News Agency right after the resolution was adopted on March 29. The resolution, co-sponsored by 132 countries, calls on the ICJ to lay out nations' obligations for protecting Earth's climate, and the legal consequences they face if they don't. The court's opinion would be non-binding. Giang described the adoption of … [Read more...] about Vietnam emphasises global multilateral approaches to solving climate change issues

Speakers at the Vietnam Innovation Forum titled “Sailing the digital sea” in HCM City on Thursday. — Photo Courtesy of NIC Investors hold an optimistic view of the country’s start-up eco-system, according to the 2023 Viet Nam Innovation and Tech Investment Report. Released by the Viet Nam National Innovation Centre (NIC) and Do Ventures at the Vietnam Innovation Forum titled “Sailing the digital sea” in HCM City on Thursday, it was the third annual report. It said: “Despite the turbulent global investment climate, Viet Nam remains a favoured destination for investors due to its sturdy economic growth and skilled young workforce.” The most common advice given to start-ups was to focus on the fundamental aspects of business, utilise capital wisely with a strategic approach and adjust to changes in the economic climate. The country's venture capital developments began to reflect global economic distress. So, despite a strong economic rebound, there was a 56 per cent decline … [Read more...] about Viet Nam remains favoured destination for global investors

Vietnam now sees a sharp increase in rice orders from the Philippines and China. Acccording to Pham Thai Binh, General Director of Trung An Hi-tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, the company has signed an order to export 2,000 tonnes of rice to China and is under negotiation for another batch of 20,000 tons. Statistics from the General Administration of Vietnam Customs show that in the first two months of this year, China imported 152,640 tons of rice from Vietnam worth 90 million USD, a year-on-year increase of 86% in volume and 120% in value. Vietnamese rice exported to China enjoyed an average price of 589.7 USD per ton, 18.3% higher than that of the same period last year. Chinese customers mainly imported Vietnam’s high-quality rice like fragrant rice and sticky rice with high prices. Meanwhile, the Philippines is anticipated to import about 2.8 million tons of rice from Vietnam during the 2022-2023 crop because the country’s rice … [Read more...] about Vietnam expected to export 7 million tons of rice this year: Ministry