Vietnams  Ministry of Finance has hiked import taxes on gasoline, diesel,  kerosene and fuel oil effective Friday, or two weeks after its last  hike, the MOF said on its website Friday. The new import tax for  gasoline is now 7%, up from 4%, while import tariffs on kerosene and  fuel oil have been raised to 8% from 5%. The tax rate for diesel is  hiked to 6% from 3%. The hike in import taxes came, just a day after the  MOF cut retail prices of oil products reflecting the recent falls in  global oil prices. Vietnam last adjusted its import tariffs on May 24,  when it hiked import taxes on gasoline to 4% from 2%, diesel to 3% from  2%, and kerosene and fuel oil to 5% from 3%.
The list of 294 reputable export businesses in 2011 was announced by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) on June 8. All  the listed companies were credited for neither losing profits in 2010  and 2011, nor violate Vietnamese laws and international business laws to  face any complaints about their trade frauds. In addition, they all  strictly followed export contracts to the letter and fulfilled their tax  payment duties. Their exports in 2011 achieved about US$20 million in  terms of footwear, US$15 million (garment), US$10 million (coffee,  seafood), US$8 million (timber products), US$6 million (rice and cashew  nuts), US$5 million (unprocessed rubber), US$4 million (pepper), US$2  million (vegetables and fruit), and US$1 million (tea). The list of  export businesses are updated at www.moit.gov.vn.  In 2010, there were 284 reputable export businesses, including 49  companies involved in seafood production, 38 in garment manufacturing,  32 in rice shipment and 27 in rubber plantation. 
The  Vietnamese Embassy in coordination with the Argentina Chamber of  Commerce, Industry and Production have worked with Argentinian  businesses on the possibility of promoting trade and investment  cooperation. At the working session on June 7, Ambassador Nguyen Van Dao  briefed them on Vietnam’s recent achievements in its industrialization  and modernization process. With regard to Vietnam’s growing relations  with Latin America, he said, two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and  Argentina hit a record high of US$971,79 million in 2011, up 17 percent  over 2010, with exports from Vietnam accounting for US$166 million,  according to the Argentinian Customs Office. Vietnam exported to  Argentina sport wear and accessories, rubber, machinery, mechanical  equipment, and garments and imported soya bean powder and oil, beef,  wheat, maize, tanned hide, timber and cotton from the country.
Since early this year, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has purchased US$9 billion, equal to VND180,000 billion. In  January, SBV invested VND60,000 billion in agricultural and rural  programs. According to plan, SBV will co-ordinate efforts with  ministries and sectors to set up a Debt and Asset Trading Company (DATC)  with the aim of tackling bad debts worth VND 100,000 billion.
The  State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), the countrys central bank said it has  pumped 18 trillion dong into the market and bought back about $9  billion, said the SBV Governor Nguyen Van Binh. The central bank  injected 60 trillion dong to serve agricultural development in Feb/2012  and 30 trillion dong to aid ailing commercial banks in late 2011, the  SBV Governor added. Besides, the SBV has gradually loosened the monetary  policies after inflation slowed since Feb/2012.
Vietnam was estimated to run a budget deficit of 46.8 trillion dong in the first five months of the year,  equaling to 33.3% of the country’s full-year target, the Ministry of  Finance (MOF) said in a report on June 6. In details, Vietnam is  estimated to have collected a total of 291.3 trillion dong state budget  in the period, meeting 39.3% of the whole year plan and rising 3% on  year. Meanwhile, the country’s total expenditures from state budget is  estimated to reach 338 trillion dong, meeting 37.4% year plan and  increasing 10.8% from a year earlier, the data showed. In May alone, the  Southeast Asia country’s state budget collection reached 55.5 trillion  dong while its state budget spending was 74 trillion dong, resulting in a  state budget deficit of 18.5 trillion dong ($0.88 billion), the MOF  added.
Vietnam Development Bank sold 2.46 trillion dong worth of 3- and 5-year government-guaranteed bonds,  or 49.2% of the offered value, at the yield of 9.5-9.68% p.a. in an  auction held on June 7, said the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX). The  bid-to-cover ratio was 1.3, including ten bidders registered for 3.4  trillion dong 3-year bonds, seeking for yields of 9.45-11.15% per annum,  and six bids for 3.16 trillion dong worth of 5-year bonds with expected  yields ranging from 9.38-12% p.a., the bourse said. Fixing for 3-year  government bonds was 9.5% while that for 5-year tenor was 9.68%. In  related news, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) on the same day announced  to adjust down benchmark interest rates and deposit rate caps for the  fourth time this year by another 2% from June 11. Yields on 5-year debts  slipped 0.05% to 9.47%, the lowest level since June 30, 2009, according  to a daily fixing rate from banks compiled by Bloomberg. The yield  dropped 0.14% this week.
The  first Indonesian Trade, Tourism and Investment Forum, with the theme of  "Indonesia-Vietnam: Partnership for Prosperity", will be held in the  capital next Monday. Co-organized by the Indonesian Embassy and the  Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the two-day forum would be an  excellent opportunity for the two countries to further strengthen  bilateral relations.
A representative office of Japans Nippon Steel Engineering (NSE) Group officially opened in Ho Chi Minh City on June 7. The  Japanese group, which specializes in supplying energy facilities,  pipelines and steelmaking equipment for architecture projects, has set  up its rep. offices in China, India, Brazil and other countries in  Southeast Asia and Europe. The group has engaged in steel import-export  and manufacturing activities in Vietnam for 10 years. Last year it built  a factory to produce steel pipes in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. NSE  President Takahashi Makoto said the group plans to raise its turnover  from overseas by 40 percent and highly values Vietnam’s potential  market. Japan’s consul general to HCM City, Hinda Harumitsu,  congratulated NSE on opening its office and revealed that 570 Japanese  businesses are operating in the city.
Dien  Quang Lamp joint stock company (JSC) and Venezuela’s industrial  petroleum and gas group have turned out their first test products  following the recent signing of an agreement on the production of  energy saving bulbs. Under the agreement, the two companies have set up a  joint venture factory named Vietven. The factory, which covers 80,000  square meters in Paraguana industrial zone, Venezuela, is designed to  produce 74 million products a year. According to plan, it will  officially go into operation next month. Dien Quang’s JSC has invested  more than US$300 million in the project.
Since  early this year, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and  Investment has granted licenses to 143 FDI projects, valued at US$180  million in total. With more capital added to 35 projects already in  operation, the total amount of FDI funding has reached US$470 million, a  four-fold increase compared to the same period last year. Singapore has  taken the lead with more than $94 million, followed by Japan with $20.5  million. Most newly-licensed projects are in the automobile, and  science and technology sectors, with only a few projects focused on real  estate, financial and banking sectors.
Four  new projects totaling more than VND46 trillion (US$2.2 billion) have  recently been licensed by the Dung Quat Economic Zone (EZ) Management  Board in the central province of Quang Ngai. They include the US$2  billion Dung Quat thermal power plant invested by Semcorp Utilities from  Singapore, the VND3.8 trillion industrial-service-urban zone by the  Vietnam-Singapore IZ Company, and two seaports worth a total of VND1.4  trillion. In addition, the Dung Quat EZ has received increasing foreign  investment from the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Japan. So far the  zone has licensed 114 projects.
More  than 200 domestic and foreign bankers, creditors and property  developers from 16 countries around the world gathered at a banking and  investment conference in Danang on June 7-8. The event provided a  good chance for domestic and foreign businesses to access information  about investment opportunities in real estate, tourism, retail, banking,  infrastructure and energy in Vietnam, particularly in Danang. It  offered a special session for Danang leaders to introduce the city’s  investment environment and opportunities, as well as incentive policies.
Up to 22 of the 26 listed securities companies reported profits in the first quarter of this year,  led by Saigon Securities Inc (SSI) who posted a pre-tax profit of  VND205 billion (US$9.8 million) during the period. On the other end of  spectrum, Sacombank Securities Co (SBS) topped the losers with an  after-tax loss of VND660 billion ($31.4 million). Last year, it also  posted a total loss of VND798 billion ($38 million), lifting its total  accumulated loss by the end of March to over VND1.42 trillion ($67.6  million), exceeding its charter capital. Currently, only SME Securities  Co (SME) has yet to submit the quarter financial report.
The Vietnam Architecture Exhibition opened at the Saigon Convention and Exhibition Centre in District 7 yesterday,  focusing on "green architecture". It has around 300 booths with more  than 90 local and international exhibitors displaying environmentally  friendly architecture, building materials and property projects. The  exhibition also includes conferences.
TBC-Ball  Beverage Can Vietnam Limited Company yesterday commenced the operation  of its US$60 million aluminum can manufacturing factory in the southern  province of Binh Duong. The plant will have an initial annual  production capacity of 850 million cans, mostly supplying contracted  customers in Vietnam as well as some beverage producers in neighboring  countries, according to the company. The new facility covers eight  hectares in Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park II Expansion (VSIP II  Expansion) in the provinces Tan Uyen District. TBC-Ball Beverage Can  Vietnam Limited Company is a 50:50 joint venture between Ball  Corporation of the U.S. and Thai Beverage Can Limited (Thailand).
Fujikura Fiber Optics Vietnam Co., Ltd (FOV) on Wednesday announced the official operation of its second factory at VSIP I.  The one-hectare expansion of FOV was kicked off since the success of  its first plant in VSIP I from 2001. This second project will turn out  fiber optic components for use in telecommunication and data  communication systems with the high technology transferred from Fujikura  Group in Japan. VSIPs in Binh Duong have this year to date attracted an  additionalUS$468 million in total registered investment capital, an  increase of 60% compared to the same period last year.
Dien  Hong Printing (DHI) targets to achieve VND19 billion (US$904,700) in  revenue and a net profit of VND3.4 billion. Dividends this year will  probably be paid at 10 per cent. Meanwhile, last years revenue  reached VND15.6 billion, accounting for only 62 per cent of the previous  years figure, and it posted a loss of VND4.1 billion. Therefore, the  management board asked shareholders not to pay dividends for last year.
Song  Hong Construction (ICG) will increase its charter capital from VND200  billion (US$9.5 million) to VND400 billion ($19 million). The  decision was made during its recent shareholder meeting. However, the  company failed to give a specific time for the increase. Meanwhile, its  current charter capital will remain unchanged until the end of this  year. Song Hong aims to earn VND118.3 billion ($5.63 million) in revenue  and VND23.4 billion in gross profit this year. Dividends are expected  to be paid at 8 per cent. The major source of company profit is the Kim  Lien B4 project, expected to bring about a VND23 billion ($1.09 million)  profit. However, due to the upheavals in the real estate market, Song  Hong will reschedule or sell some projects.
Property  developer FLC (FLC) plans to merge with its affiliate FLC Land by  issuing 60.18 million shares to swap for 51 million FLC Land shares –  equivalent to a 1:1.18 ratio of exchange. After the merger, FLCs  charter capital will increase to VND771.8 billion (US$36.7 million),  while total assets reach VND2 trillion. Accordingly, FLC is said to  benefit VND160 billion ($7.6 million) from the sale of the FLC Landmark  Tower project. However, company bank loans after merger will be  approximately VND200 billion ($9.5 million). FLCs shareholder meeting  has approved this years dividend payment at 15 per cent.
Several  property projects targeted at low- and medium-income earners will be  shown to prospective buyers during the second Tuan le an cu (Settlement  Week), which opened yesterday (June 7) in Saigon Exhibition and  Convention Centre. The event, held from June 7 to 10, is organized by  Eden Real Co. in collaboration with Gia Phuc Media Co. Huynh Kim Doan,  director of Eden Real Co., said the property projects were launched with  the aim of warming up the still-sluggish market. Most participating  enterprises said buyers would be required to pay half of the value, and  the rest on installment within one to two years at a preferential  interest rate.
The Ministry of Finance plans to remove the names of several companies from its list of qualified auditing-service companies. Auditing  companies that fail to notify the ministry within one year that they  are operating will be taken off the list. Those that will be removed  also include companies that do not have enough conditions to operate, as  well as those that do not perform their duties, such as annually  reporting their activities and their lists of auditors. In addition,  auditing companies that violate State laws on examinations and  inspections will also be removed from the list. The Finance Ministry  posts the list of qualified auditing companies on its website each year.
The  Nghe An Province Peoples Committee has revealed that some US and Hong  Kong investors wanted to invest in an international high-grade resort  and tourism complex in Cua Lo Town. They also plan to open a sea  tourism route from Chinas Hainan Province to the locality. The two  sides have been discussing implementation of the process.