Focus: A Resource Mobilization Map For HCMC: Assigning HCMC to take the lead in developing and implementing a “resource mobilization map” is not only appropriate but also necessary. It can be seen as a “policy sandbox,” where modern capital mobilization models are tested, refined, and completed before being scaled up to other localities.
Inside Vietnam
Divesting State Stakes To Optimize National Resources: Vietnam’s economic development is entering a pivotal phase, in which growth models based on capital intensity and low-cost labor are gradually being replaced by strategies centered on governance efficiency and the optimization of financial resources. Within this broader context, the divestment of state capital is no longer a situational option but has become an inevitable requirement — a critical lever to address complex macroeconomic imbalances, upgrade strategic infrastructure, and modernize the financial market.
SMEs Under New Pressure: The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), introduced by the European Union and effective from 2024, marks a pivotal shift in the bloc’s approach to environmental and social responsibility. Moving away from voluntary commitments, the EU has established binding legal obligations—a transformation that effectively narrows access to its market for businesses that are unprepared to meet these new standards.
Appropriate Prescription In Uncertain: Controlling and curbing interest rates to more manageable levels represent the most effective remedy for the current economic landscape. The timing of this intervention is particularly strategic, following a series of fiscal measures previously implemented by the Government to serve as a buffer against energy price volatility and to restore market stability.
Business
Capital For Corporate Bond Market: The need to develop Vietnam’s capital market — particularly the corporate bond market — is no longer a new issue. At the same time, the solutions to promote the growth of Vietnam’s corporate bond market remain as relevant as ever.
What Are The Near-term Drivers? The VN-Index in the first half of April is expected to receive continued support from several positive factors. These include relatively optimistic forecasts for first-quarter 2026 profit growth, the anticipated upgrade of the domestic stock market, prospects for easing geopolitical tensions between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, and heightened investor confidence surrounding the formation of the new government.
Living
Awakening Fear: Nguyen Thanh Nam, known to audiences as Pom Nguyen, is the director of Quy Nhap Trang, a horror diptych that has reshaped the Vietnamese box office.
Golden Harvest Across Rice Fields: Farmers are entering the peak of the 2025–2026 winter– spring rice harvest, with golden fields stretching across southern Vietnam.
Travel
Discovering Stone Elephants In Central Highlands: Mother Elephant Rock is a striking natural landmark set amid the vast landscapes of the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak. Rising from a sea of forested hills, the site stands out as a rare geological formation shaped by time and myth.
Savoring Ede Cuisine In Ako Dhong Village: In Dak Lak Province, visiting Ako Dhong Village offers not only a glimpse of iconic longhouses but also a chance to enjoy a traditional Ede meal, in which simple ingredients are transformed into a memorable culinary experience.
