Want to be in the loop?
subscribe to
our notification
Business News
BANKS RAISE FOREIGN OWNERSHIP RATIO TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL STRENGTH
Vietnamese banks have been increasing their foreign ownership ratios to attract investment and improve financial strength.
According to Military Bank (MB), the Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD) had adjusted the foreign ownership ratio of MB shares from 22.9908 per cent to 23.0224 per cent on November 9, baodautu.vn reported.
The move was made after MB issued nearly 362 million shares to pay dividends in 2019 to increase its charter capital to nearly VNĐ27.98 trillion (US$1.2 billion).
Among its foreign shareholders, Dragon Capital funds Norges Bank and Amersham Industries Ltd are now the largest with ownership rates of 1.68 per cent and 1.44 per cent, respectively, as of June 25.
In addition, MB also plans to divide 25.6 million treasury shares with its existing shareholders from Q4 2020 to the end of Q1 2021.
Earlier, the board of directors of Techcombank approved to raise the bank’s foreign ownership limit from 22.4951 per cent to 22.5076 per cent of its charter capital.
Lienvietpostbank has also increased the ownership ratio of foreign investors from 5.5 per cent to nearly 10 per cent.
Meanwhile, VietCapitalBank will consult the bank’s general meeting of shareholders to authorise the board of directors to decide a new foreign ownership ratio.
Nam A Bank said it planned to sell shares to foreign investors from now to the end of this year to increase charter capital to nearly VNĐ7 trillion through the issue of 57 million shares to pay dividends at a rate of 12.4878 per cent and a private placement of 143 million shares. The bank said it was in the process of negotiating with foreign investors.
In mid-2020, the market also recorded the sale of 15 per cent shares of OCB Bank to Japanese’s Aozora Bank, raising the Vietnamese bank’s charter capital from VNĐ7.89 trillion to VNĐ8.76 trillion.
Việt Nam’s finance and banking is still attracting foreign investors, but experts said the low ownership ratio of 30 per cent capped for foreign investors was a barrier.
Source: VNS
Related News
VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT
AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY AND FISHERY EXPORTS REACH NEARLY $49.3 BILLION AFTER EIGHT MONTHS
Asia remained Việt Nam’s largest export market, accounting for 45.5 per cent of total market share, with exports to the region increasing 11.3 per cent year on year. Việt Nam’s agricultural, forestry and fishery exports totaled nearly US$49.3 billion in the first eight months of this year, up 7 per cent year on year, maintaining growth momentum despite divergent trends among major product groups.
BANKING / FINANCE / INSURANCE / TAX
BANK DEPOSITS OVERTAKE CREDIT GROWTH IN LATE AUGUST
Vietnamese đồng deposits at banks grew faster than credit by late August, reversing a trend seen earlier this year and easing some short-term liquidity pressure, although banks continue to face high funding costs amid strong demand for loans. Speaking at the Government’s regular meeting, Trần Quốc Phương, deputy minister of finance, said that as of August 22, Vietnamese đồng deposits at credit institutions had increased 8.77 per cent from the beginning of the year, slightly exceeding the 8.38 per cent growth in Vietnamese đồng lending.
VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT
FOREIGN CAPITAL SEEKS STRONGER FOOTHOLD IN VIỆT NAM THROUGH M&A
Foreign investors carried out 1,815 capital contribution and share purchase transactions in Việt Nam in the first seven months of 2026, with total capital exceeding $6.5 billion. While the number of transactions fell 8.4 per cent year-on-year, their value rose 61.6 per cent. Rather than investing from scratch to build new production facilities, many foreign investors are choosing to acquire stakes in existing Vietnamese companies as a faster way to establish a foothold in the market.
GARMENT / TEXTILE
MANUFACTURING PRODUCTION RISES AT FASTEST PACE IN JUST OVER TWO YEARS
Growth in the Vietnamese manufacturing sector continued to strengthen midway through the third quarter of the year. The S&P Global Vietnam Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) posted 53.3 points in August, up from 52.9 points in July and above the 50.0 no-change mark for the fourteenth consecutive month. The latest strengthening of business conditions in the sector, as revealed on September 3, was the most pronounced since February.
TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION DRIVE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY TOWARDS HIGHER-VALUE GROWTH
Technological innovation, automation and digital transformation are becoming central to the chemical industry as companies seek to move towards higher-value products, strengthen domestic technological capabilities and pursue greener, more sustainable production. The shift is being accelerated by Politburo Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation, alongside Việt Nam's chemical industry development strategy to 2030 with a vision to 2040.
VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT
FDI INFLOWS RISE 55.4 PER CENT ON YEAR
According to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Finance, total foreign direct investment (FDI) registered in Vietnam reached $40.63 billion as of August 31, up 55.4 per cent year-on-year. All three components – newly registered capital, additional capital injected into existing projects, and foreign investors’ capital contributions and share purchases – recorded increases.
Events Sponsors
