(VOV) - The Vietnamese economy is poised for ‘exponential’ strong growth with the signing of a number of free trade agreements (FTA) in the offing. 

The Ministry of Finance has granted a license to the BIDV Metlife Insurance Co. Ltd for its establishment and operation in Vietnam.

(VOV) - The nation’s consumer price index (CPI) for July rose by 0.23% over June and 4.94% over the same period a year ago, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

(VOV) -A Vietnamese business delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh paid a working visit to Angola from July 21-23, aiming to bolster trade cooperation with the Southern African nation.

There will be stiff competition between domestic and foreign beverage firms as Vietnam integrates further into the world beverage market, with tremendous potential for development.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has proposed that PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation (PVEP) focus on mapping out strategies to boost its oil and gas exploration and exploitation overseas.

(VOV) -Two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Singapore hit more than US$8.08 billion in the first half of this year, a-year-on-year increase of 23.9%.

(VOV) -Border trade value between the two countries jumped 13% to US$2.61 billion in the first six months of the year, according to the Vietnam-China border trade steering board.

(VOV) -India shipped pharmaceuticals worth US$131 million to Vietnam in the first half of 2014, a 13.54% rise year-on-year, making it the largest supplier of the products to the country.

(VOV) -The complexity of Vietnam’s business tax climate is not impeding the attraction of foreign investment, and oddly enough, is appealing to a corrupt element of investors using complexity and legal loopholes to their advantage.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has signed with the French Egis International- Adetef consulting joint venture a technical and financial assistance contract for implementing public-private partnership (PPP) projects.

Vietnamese enterprises should make greater efforts to accelerate trade promotion, improve production capacities and sharpen their competitive skills to further tap into the Republic of Korea (RoK).

(VOV) - The People’s Committee of southern Ca Mau province has issued nine additional investment certificates for foreign aided non-governmental organisations (NGOs) projects with investment capital of over US$2 billion.

Inspectors from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade and market control officials have plans to levy administrative fines on manufacturers and importers of home appliances and industrial devices that fail to meet energy labeling requirements, according to the Saigon Times Daily.

Ho Chi Minh City saw the smallest increase in its consumer price index (CPI) in July when it expanded by only 0.12 percent from June, said the municipal Statistical Office on July 22. 

Exporters from the Mekong Delta are striving to rake in US$1.3 billion from selling shrimp abroad in the latter half of this year, bringing the year’s export earnings from the product to US$2.6 billion, or an annual rise of 2.2 percent.

(VOV) -France-based Olmix Group plans to invest EUR5 million in building a factory at the Song Than 2 Industrial Park in the southern province of Binh Duong to produce nutritional products for animals and plants.

(VOV) - Cumbersome and complicated import-export procedures cost firms doing business in Vietnam an estimated US$37 billion annually.

(VOV) - With the Government’s open door policy, stable political environment and vast economic potential, many Japanese small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) find Vietnam an attractive destination for business in Southeast Asia.

(VOV) - The Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) has authorised 25 foreign banks, including one from Vietnam, to offer a wide range of domestic and cross-border collection and payment services to foreign investors in Myanmar.

The Government has approved a new development strategy for the auto industry to enable it to meet domestic demand and join world production.

Better policies are needed to improve the capacity of support-industry companies, particularly electronics firms, said Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Cao Quoc Hung.

Vietnam is the most successful country to deploy the rural finance project and is seen as a development model by financial institutions and donors.

(VOV) - A senior French official said she will encourage French businesses to invest in large infrastructure construction projects in HCM City, including metro routes, water drainage systems and Long Thanh airport.

(VOV) -Japan’s Yanmar Company is implementing a pilot project to supply 180 composite vessels to Vietnamese fishermen to help them increase tuna yield and quality.

(VOV) -The Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways and Japanese consortium contractor Shimizu-Meada on July 21 signed a contract (bidding package 1B) to build two metro stations in HCM City.

(VOV) -The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in Hanoi for July accelerated 0.18% over the previous month and 6.39% over the same period last year, according to the Municipal Statistics Office.

(VOV) -Two-way trade between Vietnam and Australia in the first six months of the year peaked at over US$2.86 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of US$924 million, according to Vietnam Customs statistics.

(VOV) - A Ho Chi Minh City business delegation recently paid a five-day visit to Venezuela, where they sought cooperation opportunities and shared experience in urban development and management.

(VOV) -Marks & Spencer (M&S), the iconic British retailer, has unveiled its plan to open a new flagship store at the Vincom Center Dong Khoi in Ho Chi Minh City this summer.