Credit ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service has changed its 12-18 month outlook on the Vietnamese banking system (Ba3 stable) to stable, from its earlier positive rating, according to its recent report.

Coffee enthusiasts on November 9 gathered at the School of Hospitality Professionals (SHP) in HCMC’s District 3 to watch the first coffee roasting competition held in Vietnam.

The number of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Chinese guests visiting the central coastal city of Danang this year is estimated to post respective increases of 80% and 30% over last year and account for a staggering 80% of international tourist arrivals in the city.

A senior official from the Ministry of Industry and Trade has urged local firms to make the most of the domestic market, which has a large population of over 90 million, instead of only paying attention to international markets, heard a forum on international economic integration.

Although foreign retailers have increasingly expanded their store chains in the Vietnamese market, domestic firms remain dominant, especially in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, said Nguyen Huy Hoang, commercial director of the market research firm Kantar Worldpanel Vietnam.

HCMC-based operators of hotels, especially luxury ones, are performing well this year, with room occupancy at many hotels amounting to an estimated 80%-90% this year.

The US-based coworking-space firm WeWork on December 3 will put into service its coworking-space office in E-Town Central Building in HCMC’s District 4 to serve individuals and enterprises, marking its third destination in the Southeast Asian region.

European business leaders remain positive about conducting business in Vietnam, according to the latest Business Climate Index (BCI) for the third quarter of 2018 from the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, or EuroCham.

The Intek Institute of Applied Technology described as a premier coding school was opened in HCMC on November 5, providing the first project-based, gamified training course for computer engineering students.

As Vietnam’s investment potential has turned attractive, now is the right time for foreign enterprises and investors to come and seek opportunities in Asia’s fastest-growing economy, said Henri-Charles Claude, president of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (CCIFV).