REAL ESTATE M&AS SPIKED IN FIRST QUARTER

Most recently, Singapore’s Keppel Land - through its indirect subsidiary Ibeworth - has entered into a subscription agreement with Nam Long Investment Corporation for VND500 billion ($22.7 million) in convertible bonds, which are due in 2020.

Keppel Land’s CEO Ang Wee Gee stated that its subscription of convertible bonds followed Keppel Land’s initial investment in Nam Long last year, and demonstrated its strong partnership with Nam Long, as well as Keppel Land’s commitment to continue participating in the company’s growth.

“It also underscores our confidence in the long-term investment potential of Vietnam, which is one of Keppel Land’s key growth markets,” Gee said in a statement.

Meanwhile, CapitaLand, another Singaporean real estate developer, has bought two developments – Somerset Vista and Vista Walk in Ho Chi Minh City – from Nguyen Binh Trading for a total value of around $45 million.

Currently, many foreign investors are entering the domestic real estate market to conduct market studies, including those from South Korea, Japan, and Singapore.

A good number of foreign investors are planning to buy office buildings in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, including projects that are already completed, those currently under construction, and those scheduled for a future build date.

Phan Xuan Can, chairman of Soho Vietnam Real Estate Consulting Company, said increased mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activities in the property market had been caused by a rise of equity in the market, low interest rates on loans, and a low supply of property products relative to the demand.

In Hanoi, buyers are typically attracted to the districts of Cau Giay, Tu Liem, Thanh Xuan, and Hoang Mai. Meanwhile, in Ho Chi Minh City, the favoured destinations include districts 2 and 9, where most enterprises have set up their projects and sold some of them to restructure their company’s investments.

M&A activities among real estate companies are expected to increase, as large investors often prefer to acquire existing projects instead of applying for fresh investment licences.

Steven Chu, CEO of the Nam Long Investment Corporation, said that M&A deals would see added momentum given the opportunities arising out of free trade deals in 2016.

“Vietnam remains a magnet for foreign developers and investors. The government needs to facilitate foreign investment in real estate by increasing access to the land bank without complex land clearance burdens, and by addressing concerns over quality speculation and state property policies,” Chu said.

“Despite strong demand for property, the growth of the middle class, low inflation, and good products offered by banks, it remains difficult for investors to get good sites without complicated land clearance issues,” he added.

Source: VIR

Related News

INFRASTRUCTURE / CONSTRUCTION / LOGISTIC / PORT

VIỆT NAM-CAMBODIA TRADE GATHERS PACE TOWARDS $20 BILLION TARGET

Trade between Việt Nam and Cambodia continues to grow, remaining a bright spot and a key pillar of bilateral cooperation as the two countries aim to raise two-way trade to US$20 billion in the coming years. After setting a record of more than $11.3 billion last year, bilateral trade reached about $8.7 billion in the first eight months of this year, up 8.3 per cent year on year.

Oct 14, 2026

TECHNOLOGY

AI BEGINNING TO RESHAPE RECRUITMENT CRITERIA

Digital literacy is the only capability area in which fresh graduates meet employers’ expectations, according to a new report. Yet, it is also the standard rising fastest, as businesses increasingly expect new hires to use AI effectively in the workplace. Some 83 per cent of employers say AI has changed, or is beginning to change, their hiring criteria, while 94 per cent report higher expectations for digital and AI capabilities than they had two to three years ago.

Oct 14, 2026

INFRASTRUCTURE / CONSTRUCTION / LOGISTIC / PORT

ĐÀ NẴNG GREEN-LIGHTS US$105 MILLION THAI DEVELOPMENT DEAL

The central city has approved an investment proposal by Thailand’s WHA Group to develop infrastructure for the 400ha WHA Đà Nẵng Industrial Park project on two communes of Thăng Bình and Đồng Dương, with an investment of more than VNĐ2.7 trillion (US$105 million). The city said it approved WHA Industrial Development International's status as an investor in the project, which is expected to take place between 2027 and 2034.

Oct 14, 2026

VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT

MOBILE PHONE EXPORTS RISE 20% TO $51.8 BILLION IN FIRST NINE MONTHS

Exports of mobile phones and components rose 20 per cent year-on-year to nearly US$51.8 billion in the first nine months of 2026, with China, the US and Republic of Korea accounting for more than half of the total. Shipments to the three markets reached a combined $26.18 billion, or 50.6 per cent of total exports of the product group during the period, according to data from the Vietnam Department of Customs under the Ministry of Finance.

Oct 14, 2026

VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE EXPORTS POISED TO HIT $10 BILLION IN 2026

Fruit and vegetable exports are on track to reach nearly US$10 billion in 2026, after rising 19.9 per cent year on year to nearly US$7.4 billion in the first nine months, driven by strong seasonal demand and abundant tropical fruit supplies. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said the growth reflected stronger international demand for fresh produce and processed agricultural products.

Oct 14, 2026

GARMENT / TEXTILE

TEXTILE EXPORTS FACE DUAL CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINING ORDERS AND BOOSTING EFFICIENCY AMID GROWING COMPETITION

Data shows that the textile and garment sector maintained its growth momentum in the first nine months of this year. The industry's total export turnover reached an estimated US$35.721 billion in the first nine months of this year, up 3.3 per cent year-on-year. Despite posting encouraging export figures, Vietnamese textile and garment enterprises continue to navigate unpredictable market variables.

Oct 14, 2026