Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) on October 6 increased its forecast for Vietnam’s GDP growth rate for the whole year to 6.8 percent, higher than the Government’s set target of 6.7 percent.
This is the highest forecast in the past nine years. The bank also predicted growth rate of 6.8 percent for next year, increasing from its previous forecast of 6.4 percent for 2017 and 6.6 percent for 2018, driven by faster electronics manufacturing growth in the second quarter of the year.
“This would make Vietnam the fastest growing ASEAN-6 economy in 2017, likely overtaking the Philippines,” Chidu Narayanan, economist at SCB, said.
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GDP growth rose to 6.4 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2017, well above the prediction of 6.1 percent, driven by the manufacturing sector.
"We expect this growth momentum to continue, buoyed by the still-strong electronics sector," he added.
Electronics export growth is likely to remain robust in the near term, driving a trade surplus and supporting overall growth.
FDI inflow is likely to remain robust in the medium term, primarily due to the electronics-manufacturing sector, resulting in strong electronics manufacturing growth over the next few quarters. Strong FDI inflow is likely to support capital goods imports, capping the trade surplus.
The bank expected inflation to edge down from the 3.4 percent year-on-year in September on a high base effect. It also raised its inflation forecast to 3.7 percent for 2017 and 3.8 percent for 2018 (from 3.6 percent and 3.7 percent year-on-year, respectively) on the back of higher-than-expected inflation this year and faster-than-expected GDP growth.
“Although we expect inflation to edge up to 3.8 percent in 2018, it is likely to remain manageable, allowing the central bank to maintain its policy rate through 2018,” he said.
Rather than expanding logistics infrastructure indiscriminately, the MoIT plans to establish a tiered network comprising national, regional and local logistics centres, specialised logistics hubs and cargo consolidation points.
Vietnam has entered the world's top 30 most competitive economies for the first time, ranking 27th out of 70 economies in the 2026 World Competitiveness Ranking published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).
The new circular will help credit institutions have more room to provide capital to businesses and investment projects to support high economic growth in the next few years, while increasing flexibility in the SBV’s monetary policy management.
The study found that 85% of Vietnamese enterprises reported positive business sentiment, a sharp increase from 48% in 2025, when business confidence was weighed down by uncertainties surrounding US tariff policies and related trade developments.
Resolution 10-NQ/TW marks a significant reset of Vietnam’s foreign investment strategy, introducing broad reforms to create a more unified and effective framework for attracting foreign capital.
Vinh Long farmers are scaling up specialised growing zones and tightening production standards, aiming to lock in sustainable growth for pomelo cultivation and more prosperity across the Mekong Delta province.
According to Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Pham Van Thinh, the province aims to maintain stable and sustainable growth, improve the competitiveness of both the economy and local businesses, and make better use of free trade agreements (FTAs) to expand and diversify export markets.
As offenders adopt increasingly sophisticated tactics, customs authorities are tightening controls at border gates, stepping up the use of technologies and refining enforcement measures to intercept illicit goods at the import and transit stages.
As Vietnam pursues rapid and sustainable economic growth, improving growth quality, advancing the green transition, promoting the circular economy, and adopting environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards are becoming increasingly urgent.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) highlighted the city's dominance in green-certified building floor space in Vietnam, reflecting the rapid expansion of the green building market with 780 completed green buildings encompassing over 18.69 million sq.m by 2025, predominantly certified by EDGE and LEED.
The United Kingdom officially announced two new climate cooperation initiatives to support Vietnam in its energy transition and green growth journey. These programs focus on offshore wind power development and the creation of a sustainable green financial ecosystem.
The GTTCI expert noted that alongside logistics and integrated warehousing, e-commerce is expected to be a particularly high-growth sector in the coming years. He described it as a multi-billion-dollar market with significant untapped opportunities for cooperation between Vietnam and India.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam’s exports reached 215.66 billion USD in the first five months of 2026, up 19.5% year-on-year. Twenty-six export items generated more than 1 billion USD in revenue each, including seven with turnover exceeding 10 billion USD.
By combining centuries-old craftsmanship with contemporary design, Hanoi’s traditional craft villages are finding new ways to keep their cultural heritage relevant and competitive in modern life.
A significant number of Swedish enterprises are set to expand their operations in Vietnam, reflecting a deep-seated confidence in the country’s long-term economic prospects.
Since the start of the summer harvest season, China's two major border gates with Vietnam, Youyi Guan in Pingxiang and Beilun 2 Bridge in Dongxing, have entered their peak period for handling imports of fresh agricultural and seafood products from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
UOB noted that while Vietnam has maintained relatively strong growth momentum, recent economic indicators suggest a mixed short-term outlook, with positive developments tempered by mounting challenges. In particular, higher energy costs are beginning to weigh on manufacturing activity and macroeconomic stability.
According to the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA), the logistics sector will require around 2.2 million workers by 2030, including 1.6 million employees for logistics service providers and nearly 600,000 personnel supporting logistics operations in manufacturing and trading enterprises.
To date, over 100 fisheries unions, solidarity groups and teams protecting national sovereignty and security at sea in Da Nang have signed commitments not to engage in IUU fishing.
The development strategy for VIFC-HCMC envisions a comprehensive financial ecosystem encompassing green finance, carbon credits, financial technology (fintech), blockchain technology, digital assets, digital banking and other innovative business models. These highly internationalised sectors involve complex cross-border transactions and sophisticated legal structures.