Bánh Mì Brief

Markets, deals and policy from the last 24 hours.

◆  Top 3

1 ▸ Trade passes $1 trillion in ten months

Vietnam's two-way trade reached about $1.01tn in January to October, up 32.3% year on year and above $1tn for the first time, the trade ministry's foreign trade agency said on 29 October. Exports rose 27.4% to about $499B. October alone brought $122.2B in trade and an estimated $6.8B surplus, the second monthly surplus in a row, though the ten-month balance is still a $12.7B deficit.

→ VietnamPlus · 29 Oct

2 ▸ State sets ownership floors for Big Three banks

Deputy PM Nguyen Van Thang signed Decision 2054/QD-TTg approving a 2026-2030 plan for restructuring state capital. The state must keep at least 65% of Vietcombank (now 74.8%) and BIDV (now 76.73%), while its VietinBank stake is to rise from 64.46% to 65%. The Ministry of Finance and the SBV will choose timing and methods.

→ Nguoi Quan Sat (translated) · 29 Oct

3 ▸ VN-Index drops 11 points as foreigners sell

The VN-Index closed at 1,755.61 on 29 October, down 11.04 points, with losses spread across the market and lower liquidity. Foreign investors were net sellers of more than VND430bn in the session.

→ Nhan Dan · 29 Oct

◆  Economy & Markets

▸ Fuel prices rise from 3pm

The ministries of industry and trade and of finance raised ceiling prices on 29 October. E5RON92 petrol now costs VND26,027 a litre (+666), E10RON95-III VND25,734 (+521) and diesel VND30,246 (+696). The ministries cited higher global refined fuel prices and did not use the price stabilisation fund.

→ VietnamPlus · 29 Oct

▸ SBV lifts central rate to 25,644 VND/USD

The State Bank set the central rate at VND25,644 per dollar on 29 October, up 13 dong, giving a trading band of 24,352 to 26,926. Vietcombank opened at 25,660 buying and 26,040 selling, both up 20 dong.

→ VietnamPlus · 29 Oct

◆  Business & Deals

▸ Nordic firms ask for power deals, faster permits

At the Nordic-Vietnam Business Forum in HCMC on 29 October, NordCham chairman Thue Quist Thomasen said investors need predictable licensing and access to green power, including direct PPAs. Ratification of the EFTA-Vietnam FTA is still pending and could finish in the first half of 2027; salmon duties would then drop to zero.

→ VietnamPlus · 29 Oct

▸ HCMC and Chinese firms target logistics links

A seminar at the Autumn Economic Forum on 29 October focused on linking manufacturing and logistics with China, whose trade with Vietnam reached $256.4B in 2025. China's acting consul general proposed cooperation in smart manufacturing, cold-chain storage and urban rail joint ventures. Ports around HCMC handle about 18m TEU a year.

→ VietnamPlus · 29 Oct

◆  Politics & Policy

▸ PM sets timelines for APEC 2027 hosting

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung chaired a meeting on preparations for APEC Vietnam Year 2027 on 28 October and asked for specific timelines and thrifty logistics. He also received Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov, whose visit runs from 28 to 30 October.

→ VietnamPlus · 29 Oct

◆  Worth Knowing

▸ Vietnam takes up the Artemis Accords

Science and Technology Minister Vu Hai Quan received the US-led Artemis Accords on space exploration from US Ambassador Jennifer Wicks on 28 October at Vietnam International Digital Week in Quang Ninh. Quan said Vietnam backs peaceful and transparent space exploration under international law.

→ VietnamPlus · 29 Oct

Every item links to the original article. Vietnam time is UTC+7.
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