Securities firms expect the stock markets to continue the rally this week as the VN-Index closed the final trading week ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet, with a positive note. On February 8, after struggling for a while in early trade, the VN-Index beat the 490-point resistance to settle at a two-year high of 494.03. Meanwhile, the penny stock-laden and more volatile HNX-Index marched onwards... 

Securities experts have predicted that foreign capital will keep flowing into the local stock market after the Lunar New Year holiday as foreign investors have become very active since the end of last year. Trinh Hoai Giang, deputy general director of HCMC Securities Corp. (HSC) that holds the biggest foreign brokerage market share in Vietnam, said foreign capital will flow strongly into the market... 

Prices of many products had returned to normal pre-Tet levels as of Sunday, the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, but the popular food items or those for worship rituals are still expensive. At some of HCMC-based markets like Ba Chieu in Binh Thanh District, Cay Thi in Go Vap District and Vuon Lai in District 12, prices of beef, shrimp, crab, squid, mackerel and a number of fruits such as custard-apple,... 

As the demand for cars shot up at Tet, several firms recorded a dramatic increase in sales volume, leading to strong growth for the auto market in January. Despite economic woes and the fear that consumers might suspend their car purchase plans to wait for registration fee cuts, car consumption in the first month of the year was high compared to the same period last year. Auto dealers and manufacturers... 

Though the local property market experienced tough times last year and has entered the new year with difficulties expected, many people still believe that there will be good opportunities in the market thanks to the presence of products suitable for homebuyers and the Government’s support solutions for the struggling market. The Daily talked to a number of executives of real estate companies about... 

Vietnam’s consumer confidence is forecast to remain low this year despite a slight rise of 1% to 88 percentage points in the fourth quarter of last year. The recent report of U.S.-based market researcher Nielsen shows that the economy, which will remain in difficulty, continues to be the top concern of local consumers. The number of people who believe that Vietnam is in an economic slump increased... 

Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) will dissolve two subsidiaries, let two others go bankrupt and sell out its shares in 37 companies by 2015 under its restructuring plan approved by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh on February 4. According to a Government decision approving the plan, Vinalines will focus on three main sectors, namely sea transport, port operation and shipping services. The... 

Figures released by the State Bank have shown that at the end of 2012, the total assets of the entire domestic banking system recorded a growth of 2.54 per cent compared with 2011, meaning that last year’s total for the entire system rose by nearly VND126 trillion (US$6 billion). The data also shows that most of these assets were contributed by State-owned commercial banks, which saw a rise of VND232...