Business highlights – March 20-26
VGP - Two Vietnamese entering Forbes’ billionaires list, FDI attraction setting new record, petrol prices dropping over VND700 per liter and Noi Bai Airport named among world’s 100 best airports are economic highlights from March 20-26.
Two Vietnamese in Forbes’ billionaires list
Two Vietnamese, Vingroup chairman Pham Nhat Vuong and Sovico
With his total assets rising by US$640 million in 2016 to touch US$2.4 billion, Vuong has moved up 144 grades to rank 867th on the list. This is the fifth consecutive year that Vuong has made it to this Forbes list.
Thao, who took her budget carrier Vietjet public in February, has featured on the list for the first time ever. She is also the first self-made woman billionaire in Viet Nam, according to Forbes. Withtotal assets of US$1.2 billion, Thao ranks 1,678th on the list.
FDI attraction sets new record
In the first quarter of 2017, total FDI in the country valued at US$ 7.71 billion, nearly doubling the US$ 3.4 billion amount recorded in the first two months and up 91.5% against the same period last year.
The FIA under the Ministry of Planning and Investment announced that as of March 20, 493 new FDI projects got business licenses with a total value of US$ 2.917 billion, representing a year-on-year rise of 6.5%.
In addition, 223 projects got additional capital worth US$ 3.94 billion, up 206.4% against the same period last year. Foreign investors bought US$ 852.86 million of shares, up 171.5 % against the same period last year.
In the January-March period, total amount of FDI was US$ 7.71 billion, making a year-on-year surge of 91.5%.
Petrol prices drop over VND700 per liter
The prices of RON 92 petrol and bio-fuel E5 dropped 708 VND and 661 VND per liter respectively, from 3:00 pm on March 21.
The prices of diesel 0.05S and kerosene were also cut by VND 609 and VND 657 per liter, respectively.
In addition, RON 92 and E5 petrol are sold at no more than VND17,314 (US$0.76) and VND17,099 (US$ 0.75) per liter respectively.
The new ceiling price of diesel 0.05S and kerosene are VND13,838 (US$ 0.61) and VND12,177 (US$0.53) per liter.
Noi Bai Airport named among world’s 100 best airports
Ha Noi’s Noi Bai International Airport has been named one of the world’s top 100 airports, ranking 83rd, of 2017 by Skytrax firm which runs an airline and airport ranking site.
The top three positions belong to Changi, Incheon and Munich Airports.
The survey results are based on nearly 14 million customer reviews in 105 countries and 555 airports globally from July 2016 to February 2017 on criteria such as arrival and transfer procedures, shopping spaces, security and immigration.
This is the second consecutive time that Noi Bai has been awarded the accolade.
Vietnamese customers prefer Thai household utensil products
Thailand surpassed China to become the biggest provider of household utensils in Viet Nam by holding over a half of import turnover.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade reported that Viet Nam imported US$ 238.5 million of household utensils in the first two months of 2017, up 5.15% against the same period last year. In February, import turnover of the products valued US$ 155.3 million, representing a month-on-month surge of 85.3%.
By Thuy Dung
