Business News

While business confidence has become more measured compared with the optimistic outlook at the beginning of the year, US companies remain committed to Vietnam. According to a member survey released by the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam on August 15, respondents continue to invest, increase revenue, maintain employment, and identify significant opportunities in manufacturing, technology, infrastructure, and the country's growing domestic market.

According to data from the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Finance, Indonesia has made a strong advance, rising to sixth place and up 30 positions among the countries and territories investing in Vietnam in the first seven months of the year. In the same period of last year, Indonesia registered only $11.8 million in investment in Vietnam, down 49.5 per cent from the same period in 2024.

Vietnam is moving towards a new approach to foreign investment, with the focus shifting from attracting capital and individual projects to developing a foreign-invested economic sector that is more deeply integrated with the domestic economy. At a seminar at the headquarters of Vietnam Government Portal, Bui Thu Thuy, deputy director general of the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA), said Resolution No.10-NQ/TW represents several major shifts in development thinking.

The fact that a growing number of multinational corporations are choosing Tây Ninh Province to expand their manufacturing operations underscores its rising appeal as a destination for high-quality foreign investment focused on innovation, advanced technology and long-term economic value. Among the latest investors is Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam Beverage, which this month opened in the province’s Hựu Thạnh Industrial Park a new plant that cost more than US$300 million.

The wood industry should treat the domestic market as a strategic growth pillar rather than a fall back when exports weaken, industry executives and policymakers said during a conference on developing the local wood product market on August 6. Valued at about US$5 billion a year and projected to exceed $7 billion by 2030, the domestic wood and furniture market is increasingly seen as a new source of growth for one of Việt Nam's largest export industries, they said.

Although state-owned enterprises (SOEs) account for only a small proportion of the total number of businesses, they continue to control substantial resources across many strategic sectors and make significant contributions to the national economy. As Việt Nam strives to achieve double-digit economic growth, enhancing the operational efficiency of SOEs while reinforcing their pioneering and leading role has become an urgent priority.

According to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietnam’s seafood exports totalled nearly $6.86 billion in the first seven months of 2026, an increase of 11.5 per cent on-year. In July, seafood exports reached $1.1 billion, up 4.8 per cent compared to the same period in 2025. China and Hong Kong remained Vietnam’s largest seafood market in July, importing more than $267 million, up 24.7 per cent on-year. During the first seven months, exports reached nearly $1.74 billion, an increase of 34.5 per cent.

In the first seven months of 2026, exports totalled approximately $4.76 billion, representing a 23 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. The sector’s growth was driven primarily by a recovery in durian exports, which account for more than half of the industry’s total export value. China remained the largest export market, accounting for around 55 per cent of total export value, while the United States and South Korea continued to post positive growth.