The Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN) and the contractor of the Dung Quat oil refinery, Technip are stepping up the negotiation process to put the oil refinery into full operation in April, said a PVN representative at a press conference in Hanoi on April 5.  

Vietnam’s exports of garments and textiles in the past three months reached US$2.25 billion, up 18 percent compared to the same period last year, and much higher than expected.

Severe droughts since late 2009 have exerted a negative impact on water accumulation in reservoirs, lowering water levels and preventing hydro-power plants from generating nearly one billion more kWh.

There are not enough Lo Ren star apples to export and their price is increasing sharply, said Nguyen Van Ngan, chairman of the Lo Ren Vinh Kim Cooperative on April 5.

An awards ceremony to honour winners of strong brand names was held in Hanoi on April 4 in recognition of the business circle’s efforts to increase Vietnamese brands’ competitive edge in foreign markets.

The 3rd International Telecoms Summit, co-organised by the Ministry of Information and Communications, will be held in Hanoi on May 18-20.

The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on April 3 signed a code-share agreement with Air France to allow passengers to take non-stop flights from Paris to either Hanoi or HCM City three times a week.

Italian businesses have described Vietnam as a young and dynamic economy which has great potential for development and investment.

A fair featuring made-in-Vietnam high quality goods and exports opened in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on April 3.

The 18th Meeting of the ASEAN Central Bank Deputy Governors opened in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa province, on April 4 in the presence of Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), Nguyen Van Binh, and representatives from 10 ASEAN central banks.

The Can Tho City People’s Committee on April 3 began the implementation of the second phase of an urban upgrade project which is partially funded by the World Bank (WB).

Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) on April 3 announced the establishment of the Central Power Corporation (EVNCPC).

Despite the national economy showing positive growth in the first quarter of this year, the economic picture of the three remaining quarters contains the dark clouds of high inflation, a growing trade imbalance, and challenges in managing financial and monetary policies.

The Saigon Thuong Tin Commodity Exchange Company (Sacom-STE) has opened the country’s first sugar trading floor in HCM City to help farmers and businesses achieve price discovery and price risk transfer.

A Vietnam Seafood Festival will be held for the first time in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho from April 24-27, with the aim of boosting cooperation and trade between domestic and foreign businesses and building Vietnam’s seafood trademark.

The Republic of Korea (RoK) will implement a programme of presentations in Vietnam in 2010 on its economy and businesses.

Under the aegis of the Vietbuild Hanoi International Exhibition, a seminar on new technologies and products in the construction industry was held in Hanoi on April 2.

The Northern Power Corporation (EVN NPC) made its public debut in Hanoi on April 2.

Around 100 local officials and representatives from export companies gathered in the southern province of Tien Giang on April 1-2 to learn about tariff agreements that Vietnam has signed with other countries and organisations.

Petrol prices on the domestic market will remain stable in April thanks to the price stabilisation fund.

Tra and basa fish producers and exporters from the Mekong city of Can Tho have lodged a petition with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), rejecting its intention to list the products as ‘catfish’.

Vietnam’s online advertising market has posted a higher growth rate than the global average, according to Cimigo, an independent team of marketing and brand research specialists in the Asia-Pacific region.

2,877 cases of smuggling, trade fraud, and illegal transportation of goods were discovered in the first three months of 2010 with a total cost of VND38.5 billion, according to the General Department of Customs (GDC).

The Vietbuild Hanoi 2010 exhibition kicked off on April 1 featuring products and services of 412 businesses, of which 85 are from 15 foreign countries.

Saigontourist Travel Service Company has launched 100 new domestic and 50 new international tours in time for the May Day holiday.

In the first quarter of this year, Vietnam exported around 300,000 tonnes of coffee, earning approximately US$461 million, down 25.3 percent in volume and 31 percent in value compared to the same period last year.

The world’s gold prices took a surprising sharp fall on March 31, resulting in domestic gold prices dropping by VND100,000/tael to close at VND26 million/tael.

The State Bank of Vietnam is drafting a circular to tighten control over the expansion of commercial banks’ networks in a move to minimise risks to the banking industry.

Vietnam’s timber exports are in danger of losing their market share in the US and the European Union (EU) markets when the US enforces the Lacey Act on forestry on April 1 and the EU implements its Forest Enforcement Law in 2011.

The Vietnam multi-level marketing (MLM) association made its debut in Hanoi on March 31 in the hope of creating a professional system of MLM companies.