HCMC – Vietnamese businesses are showing increased optimism about the economic outlook for 2025, according to a survey by the Board for Private Sector Development Research (Board IV).
The survey, which gathered responses from 900 business representatives, revealed a boost in confidence regarding the economic and industry prospects for the coming year.
The results indicate that 17.3% of businesses view their industry’s future as “positive” or “very positive,” reflecting a rise from the April report. However, 54.6% still hold a “negative” or “very negative” outlook, suggesting that cautious sentiment persists.
Access to capital has slightly improved, with more businesses expressing optimism compared to April 2023. Still, 49.6% of respondents reported ongoing challenges in securing funding.
Confidence in Vietnam’s macroeconomic conditions has also strengthened. The proportion of businesses describing the economic outlook as “very positive” or “positive” has surged five- and six-fold, respectively, though 45% remain concerned about macroeconomic stability.
Among sectors, the industrial sector was the most optimistic, with an average score of 2.82 out of 5, while construction was the least optimistic at 2.55. State-owned enterprises led in confidence with a score of 3.15, followed by foreign-invested firms at 2.93. Private domestic firms reported the lowest average score, at 2.68.
Board IV’s report suggested that while optimism is on the rise, a significant number of businesses remain cautious about market access, industry performance, and funding availability.