Manufacturing and processing remained the main engine driving the industry sector as well as the entire economy. In the services industry, wholesale and retail posted the highest growth at 8.3 percent, followed by finance, banking and insurance.

The country enjoyed trade surplus of nearly 6 billion USD in the reviewed period while the consumer price index increased 2.5 percent, the lowest in the last 3 years. The government aims to keep inflation below 4 percent this year.

The Asian Development Bank has forecast Vietnam’s economy will grow at 6.8 percent this year, while the World Bank has it at 6.6 percent.