High-end apartment sales slow, speculators fleeVietNamNet Bridge - Speculators are leaving the high-end apartment market, causing a sharp fall in the market segment, reported Doanh Nhan Sai Gon. The real estate market has warmed upThe pressure on real estate developers has become more intense, especially after commercial banks began tightening credit. Having been put on sale for two years, 50 apartments at the high-end apartment project in Tay Ho district in Hanoi remains unsold. JLL Vietnam also commented that investments in the high-end market segment are cooling down because of the supply. High-end apartment projects account for 37 percent of total products for sale, an increase from 15 percent in the first quarter.

Woodwork exporters told to adapt to changes from US marketVietNamNet Bridge - Analysts have advised wooden furniture manufacturers to focus on developing certified woodwork with clear origin and to diversify import sources. Wood and woodwork exports to the US in the first five months of the year reached $1.36 billion, an increase of 11.5 percent over the same period last year. The demand for legal timber (which has origin certificates) soared as some large wooden furniture manufacturers have large contracts on designing and installing important works in the world. The US trade deficit in wooden furniture alone is worth over $2 billion. RELATED NEWSWooden furniture manufacturers thrive thanks to CPTPPChanges in target markets worry wooden furniture exportersNam Lich

E-commerce market: big players incur big lossesVietNamNet Bridge - The total accumulative loss of the four biggest players in the e-commerce market has reached VND4.5 trillion. Big players incur big lossesE-commerce, which has witnessed a boom in the last five years, saw a high growth rate of 25 percent in 2017, according to the Vietnam E-commerce Association (Vecom). In such a fledgling and fast-growing market, all the big players have been seeing losses as they are spending a lot scrambling for market share. In such a fledgling and fast-growing market, all the big players have been seeing losses as they are spending a lot scrambling for market share. US$1=VND22,000RELATED NEWSE-commerce: the major battle is in their warehouses, delivery servicesVietnam’s e-commerce market sees many new arrivalsChi Mai

Another goal of the prize is to foster national and international collaborations for medical education and better health care. He asked for the increase of supervision and protection of UNESCO-recognised cultural and natural heritage sites, as well as for non-geographical cultural heritage, such as traditions and rituals. UNESCO has recognised eight heritage sites in Vietnam as deserving the status of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Under the Law on Cultural Heritage and the Convention of the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Vietnam has 61,669 intangible cultural heritage elements. Meanwhile, loans worth 4.4 billion VND (189,260 USD) for upgrading two ships have already been disbursed.

Collapse of Laos hydropower dam will have minor impact in Vietnam: scientistsVietNamNet Bridge - Officials and scientists have said that the accident at the Sepien Senamnoi hydropower dam in Attapeu, Laos will not create a “water bomb” attacking the Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. Officials and scientists have said that the accident at the Sepien Senamnoi hydropower dam in Attapeu, Laos will not create a “water bomb” attacking the Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. The accident with the hydropower dam in Laos won’t have a big impact on Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. The Mekong River Commission is still looking for more information to make calculations. So, it won’t be able to cause floods in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta when it reaches Vietnam,” he explained.

A glimpse at female street vendors in HanoiStreet vendors have grown along with Hanoi through hundreds of years. They have become a symbolic image of the thousands-year-old capital. Many rural women choose to be street vendors to earn their living. A life without a friend is a life without sun. Street vendors make the picture of Hanoi distinctive, as they’re a sight which can hardly be found elsewhere in the world.-VNA

They also congratulated the Philippine Embassy on the success of the Seminar on ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), which raised public awareness of economic opportunities brought by the AEC for businesses in ASEAN and Europe. At the event, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh praised the sector’s improvements in inspection and combating corruption, but pointed to a number of shortcomings that need to be promptly addressed. Secondly, both Vietnam and India have posted robust economic growth in recent times, creating many opportunities for economic cooperation. However, the Vietnamese ambassador noted that there are many opportunities for economic cooperation between the two countries that have yet to be tapped. The diplomat also briefed his host about the successful outcomes from the official visit to Greece by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in early July.

Galaxy Note 9, S10 imitation products available in HCMCVietNamNet Bridge - Chinese-made smartphones imitating Samsung's upcoming high-end models are being sold in HCMC at VND2.7 million. The products are introduced by sellers as ‘Galaxy Note 9 Edge’, ‘Galaxy Note 9 Taiwan’, ‘first-class Galaxy Note 9 Taiwan’, ‘Galaxy Note 9 Singapore’ or ‘Galaxy S10 Taiwan’. An analyst said the imitation Galaxy Note 9 is designed based on rumors about genuine Galaxy Note 9 phones, with rear dual camera with flash light, and heart rate and fingerprint sensors. As for the software, the imitation Galaxy Note 9 runs on Android 7.0 with interface quite similar to Samsung's TouchWiz. Unlike imitation Note 9, the fake Galaxy S10 has design similar to the current Galaxy S9 and are not popular.

Nurses travel thousands of miles to learn Vietnamese health careStudent nurses from the United Kingdom are enjoying a taste of Asia and learning about the Vietnamese healthcare system. “Intensive care units here have three nurses taking care of eight patients whereas back in the UK we have 12 patients but it’s one nurse per patient. “For the skills, the UK nurses mainly observe, they do not practise. Besides visits from UK students, Birmingham experts also come to the hospital to train staff and help the hospital in medical practice. “The standard nursing environment in the UK is for professional hospital staff to take care of the patients.

Foreign banks gear up to expand networks in VietnamVietNamNet Bridge - In the last two years, Vietnam saw many foreign finance institutions leaving Vietnam or scaling down their investment. Foreign banks tend to expand their operation in Vietnam by opening more branches and transaction offices over the country. The move shows that foreign banks have big ambitions in the Vietnamese market and want to compete with Vietnamese banks in the retail banking sector. Meanwhile, some foreign banks which have representative offices in Vietnam have decided to extend their operation in Vietnam. RELATED NEWSVietnam banks see more withdrawals of foreign shareholdersVietnamese banks thrive following foreign partners’ divestmentMai Thanh

EVFTA expected to be signed late 2018Bernd Lange, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, has said he expects the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to be signed at the Asia-Europe Meeting Summit in October or sometime in November this year. It is now ready to be translated into the 24 official languages of the European Union (EU) and sent to the 28 member countries for consideration. The two sides need to make efforts to solve outstanding problems while the European Parliament considers and ratifies this agreement, the official added. The EVFTA will bring about a number of opportunities for both the EU and Vietnamese businesses, thus supporting the development of both sides in the long run, Lange affirmed. Not many small- and medium-sized firms really understand the direct benefits of this trade pact, and so the two sides should assist companies in capacity building.

Nha Trang & Phu Quoc - VN’s exceptional destinations this summer! With extensive passenger service spaces, the Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc International Airports offer a lot of shopping opportunities. The discount program 10% at Cam Ranh International Airport and 5% at Phu Quoc International Airport plus more attractive gifts. The Cam Ranh International Airport has been upgraded to an international airport since 2007 with the terminal T1 being used for both internationally and domestically since 2009. The Phu Quoc International Airport - the first international airport completely built since 1975 – has been operated for international and domestic customers since 2009 and invested 100% by ACV.

Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission holds 28th meetingThe Inspection Commission of the Party Central Committee held its 28th session from July 24-26, focusing on violations of regulations committed by several units and individuals. Thanh himself violated the principle of democratic centralism, showed a lack of responsibility and lax leadership, thus letting many wrongdoings and mistakes happen at General Department IV. The Inspection Commission stressed that the violations made by the Standing Board of the Party Committee of General Department IV and by Lt. Gen. Vu Thuat, former Vice Secretary of the Party Committee and former Vice Director General of General Department IV. The commission also asked the Standing Board of the Central Military Commission to mete out disciplinary measures in line with its authority against the Standing Board of the Party Committee of the Air Defence-Air Force Service (tenure 2010-2015).

Ella Mai is the first Brit to top the US R&B chart since 1992For the first time in more than a quarter of a century, a British singer has topped the US R&B chart. Ella Mai, a 23-year-old from south London, went to number one on Thursday with Boo'd Up, a soulful infatuation anthem she first released last year. Fellow Brits Charli XCX, Paul McCartney and Kyla have recently appeared as featured artists on US R&B number ones, but Ella Mai is the first to reach the peak as a lead artist for 26 years. Ella Mai wasn't prepared for Boo'd Up's success, but says she understands why people latched on to it. After being kicked out of the competition, the band broke up and Ella Mai began posting cover versions on Instagram.

Forbes Vietnam honours top 50 listed firmsForbes Vietnam on July 26 organised a ceremony to honour Vietnam’s top 50 listed companies in 2018, which account for 70.8 percent of total market capitalisation on the HCM and Hanoi stock exchanges. At the ceremony (Source: Forbes Vietnam)The 50 listed companies on the two stock exchanges have recorded a combined total profit of nearly 107 trillion VND (4.75 billion USD), a year-on-year increase of 34 percent. Property developer Vingroup is the largest company by market capitalisation, according to Forbes Vietnam, with its market value reaching 15 billion USD on May 15. “Forbes Vietnam’s sixth list of top companies in Vietnam reflects the movement of the Vietnamese economy and the securities market in the last year,” said Nguyen Lan Anh, editor of the Forbes Vietnam magazine. Forbes Vietnam applies company ranking methods of Forbes (an American Business Magazine), taking into consideration the characteristics of the businesses listed in Vietnam.