Vietnamplus

Call it a self-fulfilling prophecy, but as soon as Dragon Capital director Dominic Scriven said this week that it was too early to expect a sustained rally, the nation's stock market on Mar. 16 began to show instability.

The stock market exploded on Mar. 15 afternoon when investors poured more than 3 trillion VND (142.9 million USD) into both the nation's exchanges, pushing many shares up to ceiling prices.

Easing inflation and improvements in the trade balance suggest that Vietnam 's economy is stabilising, but authorities need to double their commitment to the "Resolution 11" policies to maintain this progress.

Vietnam is forecast to grow in popularity as a destination for British tourists this year, according to the Holiday Money Report 2011, recently issued by the Post Office, the UK's largest foreign currency provider.

Shares continued to build on last week's rally on Jan. 16, with improved trading value on both of the nation's stock exchanges – even as other markets in the region sank on last Jan. 13's news that international credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) had downgraded a number of European nations due to the ongoing eurozone debt crisis.

The global ratings firm Standard&Poor’s has downgraded the long-run credit rating of three domestic banks from BB – to B+.

The VN-Index fell by over 1 percent from the previous day's session on the HCM Stock Exchange to close at 401.03 points on Nov. 10.

Vietnam International Bank (VIB) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) on Oct. 20 announced CBA had taken an increased stake in VIB as a strategic shareholder.

Vietnam ’s top badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh has been placed 7 th on the latest World Badminton Federation (WBF) ratings with 57,779 points.

Shares retreated on August 8 on both national exchanges, with decliners overwhelming advancers amid growing uncertainty over both the global and domestic economies.

Vietnam and Laos have agreed to further cooperation in culture and tourism at a talks held in Hanoi on July 30.

A number of domestic businesses are likely to follow the example of Hoang Anh-Gia Lai Group (HAG) in issuing international bonds to quell the thirst for capital.

Vietnam’s number one chess player, Le Quang Liem, has officially become a super international grand master after he scored an Elo score of 2,700 on May 19, a rating that calculates skill levels of chess players.

High inflation and bond yields lower than banks interest rates, as well as the decreasing value of the Vietnamese dong against the US dollar, have combined to derail recent Government bond issues, said Vietnam Bond Market Association vice chairman Trinh Hoai Giang.

In the last 10 years, foreign direct investment (FDI) in the agriculture sector has dropped from 8 percent in 2001 to 1 percent in 2010, leading some to ask what has led to such a steep decline in the country's primary industry.

Business Monitor International forecasts that the Vietnamese information technology (IT) market is to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12 percent over the 2011-2015 period.

Hanoi-based singer Nguyen Thi Minh Chuyen was named best singer at a young talent quest in HCM City titled Morning Star-A Rendezvous.

The National Geographic Traveller magazine ratings that list Nha Trang beach as a destination "facing trouble" have come as a warning to the local administration on the need for sustainable tourism development and management.