Highlights of economy in first four months

Index of industrial production between 2016 and 2019 (Unit: percent)

Viet Nam’s industrial production in the first four months this year was estimated to increase by 9.2% against the same period of 2018, mainly fuelled by strong growth of manufacturing and processing according to official statistics.

The figure is lower than the growth rate of 10.7% in the same period last year but higher than the growth rates of 7.4% and 6.6% in the similar period in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Meanwhile, total foreign investment inflows rose 28.6% to nearly US$7,46 billion and disbursed volume picked up 7.5% to US$5.7 billion in the reviewed period, the General Statistics Office (GSO) reported.

Foreign investment capital was mainly poured in manufacturing and processing with nearly US$4 billion, accounting for 74.1% of the total registered capital, followed by real estate with US$528.6 million.

The GSO said foreign investment went to 45 provinces and cities across the country, in which the Southern province of Tay Ninh topped the list with US$520.3 million, accounting for 9.7%, followed by Binh Duong (US$495.6 million), Bac Ninh (US$479.3 million), and Ho Chi Minh City (US$349.4 million).

China was the biggest foreign investor in the first four months with more than US$1.3 billion, making up 24.6% of the total registered capital while Singapore’s investment capital accounted for 13.1%.

Regarding trade, total export and import values were estimated at US$156.8 billion, in which export turnover climbed up 5.8% to US$78.76 billion.

Trade surplus in the first four months fell to US$711 million from US$3.7 billion in the same period last year.

Foreign arrivals to Viet Nam increased by 7.6% to over 5,968.9 million, of which 4,674 visitors came by air, up 5.4%.

Asia still remained Viet Nam’s biggest market source with nearly 4,522.5 million turns of arrivals, up 8.5%, said the GSO./.

By Huong Giang
VGP