Green shoots of a recovery emerge : Vietnam might have seen the bottom of the economic downturn, as second quarter gross domestic product growth illustrated the green shoots of a recovery. [ + ]

Unilever Vietnam JV turns into wholly foreign-owned company : Unilever Vietnam, the joint venture between the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods multinational Unilever and Vinachem has been licenced to turn into a wholly foreign-invested company. [ + ]

Saigontourist goes on a foreign tour : Ho Chi Minh City’s Saigontourist Holding Company will become the first domestic tourism operator to own property overseas. [ + ]

Bank risk policies back on agenda : Consumer credit is rapidly growing after escaping interest rate cap constraints, triggering regulators’ concerns about banks’ risk management. [ + ]

A world of opportunity downunder : New savings opportunities for exporting Vietnamese products to Australia and New Zealand are available, writes Nu To Van, a trade and customs specialist at PricewaterhouseCoopers. [ + ]

Bidding to improve project transparency : Ho Chi Minh City’s property bidding environment is likely to improve on the back of its controversial golden sites pilot programme. [ + ]

Piaggio says benvenuto to new markets : Piaggio, the world’s fourth largest producer of scooters and motorcycles, last week announced the opening of its subsidiary in Vietnam and the official launch of its made-in-Vietnam Vespa LX 125 and 150. [ + ]

Could subsidised funds be entering the bourse?: Speculation is mounting government subsidised funds are entering the stock market. At a recent economic conference, general director of Artex Securities Company Phan Van Ha asked: “The stock market has been rallying irrationally since the beginning of 2009. [ + ]

A bay to shelter from economic woes : Home to world natural heritage site Halong Bay and the key economic hub of northern Vietnam, Quang Ninh province is offering investors lots of investment opportunities. [ + ]

VIR-news