Revenue from information and communications services reached VND1.13 quadrillion (US$47.6 billion) in the first four months of 2023, representing 27% of the annual target, figures from the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) show.

The index of industrial production (IIP) in April was estimated to increase by 3.6% month on month and by 0.5% over the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

Dung Quat oil refinery in the central province of Quang Ngai will be expanded to raise its capacity to 171,000 barrels per day, up from 148,000, with a total investment of US$1.26 billion.

Demand for gold in Vietnam fell by 12% year-on-year in the first quarter to 17.2 tonnes, according to the latest Gold Demand Trends report from the World Gold Council.

While enterprises are seeking to diversify markets to cope with drops in orders, experts urge attention to be attached to legal risks which might arise from doing international trade in a volatile world.

Banks have been steadily cutting deposit interest rates, which have reached around 8%, a move aimed at reducing lending rates to support businesses.

Vietnam's increased demand for infrastructure development in the coming years requires governmental policies that encourage the private sector's participation, said economists and policymakers.

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has recently issued two circulars to support businesses and the real estate market in particular.

After a sluggish GDP performance in the first quarter this year, Vietnam is still not out of the woods yet. In particular, it has not seen the light at the end of the tunnel on the trade front, according to an HSBC report.

Global and domestic coffee prices are at high levels, providing opportunities for Vietnam to maintain a coffee export revenue of over US$4 billion this year, a record set in 2022, while the global supply is narrowing down.