Vietnam Jan-Nov retail sales up 9.6% despite inflation increase
Retail and service sector revenues increased 9.6% year-on-year to VND5,667 trillion ($233.72 billion) in January-November, despite the country’s consumer price index (CPI) going up 3.22%.
The 9.6% revenue growth was nearly half the 20.2% recorded in the same period of 2022 and lower than 12.4% in pre-pandemic 2019, according to the General Statistics Office's (GSO) latest report.
The 2023 figure was significantly higher than the 0.4% in 2020 and negative 5% in 2021, when the Covid-19 pandemic at its peak.
The retail sector was the biggest January-November revenue earner at VND4,420 trillion ($182.29 billion), up 8.6% year-on-year. The sub-sectors with the highest growth were culture-education (14.7%), food-foodstuff (11.4%), fashion (7.6%) and home appliances (6.3%).
A supermarket in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo courtesy of WinMart.
The northern province of Quang Ninh topped the growth chart for localities nationwide (12.4%), followed by the southern province of Binh Duong (10.8%) and the central province of Khanh Hoa (10.7%). The figures for Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City were 6.7% and 7%, respectively.
Accommodation and restaurant services posted January-November revenues of VND616 trillion ($25.4 billion), up 15.3% year-on-year. Meanwhile, tourism earned VND34 trillion ($1.4 billion), up 50.5%, indicating a robust recovery that industry insiders have attributed to various promotions activities across the country. Other activities recorded total revenues of VND597 trillion ($24.62 billion), up 10.6%.
Inflation
Vietnam’s consumer price index (CPI), an indicator of inflation, increased 3.45% year-on-year in November, up 3.46% over December 2022, and 0.25% from the previous month. As a result, the January-November CPI grew 3.22% year-on-year, while core inflation was 4.27%.
The CPI November figure was driven by a 2.9% increase in the sub-sector of medicine and healthcare, the GSO said. It attributed this to new healthcare prices per the Ministry of Health’s Circular 22/2023, which took effect on November 17.
Growth in the other sub-sectors was led by education (0.38%), other goods and services (0.32%), apparel-textile and footwear (0.2%), and beverage and tobacco (0.19%).
The lowest figures belonged to home appliances (0%), transportation (- 0.01%) and telecommunication-postal services (- 0.11%).
- Related News
- Read More
Vietnam banks chase record profits despite tighter credit caps squeezing growth
Vietnam’s 2026 annual general meeting (AGM) season for banks is closing with a clear paradox: lenders are targeting record profits worth tens of trillions of dong (VND10 trillion = $379.38 million), while the key growth driver – credit expansion – is being tightened.
Banking - Mon, April 27, 2026 | 1:23 pm GMT+7
Goertek Vina injects extra $20 mln into northern Vietnam plant
Goertek Technology Vina Company Limited, a subsidiary of Chinese electronics giant Goertek, plans to pour an additional over VND527 billion ($20 million) into its project in Vietnam's northern province of Bac Ninh.
Industries - Mon, April 27, 2026 | 1:04 pm GMT+7
SK Group eyes AI data center tied to $2 bln LNG power project in central Vietnam
South Korea’s SK Group is stepping up its presence in Vietnam with plans to develop an AI data center linked to the Quynh Lap LNG-to-power project in Nghe An province, as it pushes its “AI full-stack” strategy overseas.
Industries - Mon, April 27, 2026 | 9:45 am GMT+7
State divestment from Viglacera to be delayed
The Ministry of Construction will postpone plans to divest state capital from Viglacera (HoSE: VGC) - Vietnam's leading construction material producer and industrial real estate developer, citing valuation challenges and the need to safeguard state assets, a senior official said.
Companies - Mon, April 27, 2026 | 8:05 am GMT+7
Many Vietnamese firms post surging Q1 profits, some up dozens of times year-on-year
First-quarter 2026 earnings at many Vietnamese companies rose sharply despite market volatility, with some firms reporting profits dozens of times higher than a year earlier.
Companies - Mon, April 27, 2026 | 8:00 am GMT+7
Central Vietnam province approves conversion of production forest land for Sun Group's $254 mln urban project
Authorities of Quang Ngai province have approved the conversion of nearly 83 hectares of production forest land for the development of an urban area project backed by real estate giant Sun Group.
Real Estate - Sun, April 26, 2026 | 1:46 pm GMT+7
Ex-banking tycoon Tram Be re-emerges in infrastructure projects in southern Vietnam
Tram Be, once a famous banking tycoon in Vietnam, has resurfaced in the corporate arena, appearing as a representative of Ham Giang Construction Co. Ltd. at a working session with Vinh Long province authorities on Thursday.
Companies - Sun, April 26, 2026 | 8:09 am GMT+7
Techcombank keeps real estate bad debt below 1%, fully recovers principal: chairman
The chairman of Techcombank said the lender has maintained non-performing loans (NPLs) in the real estate segment below 1%, with full principal recovery even on impaired loans.
Banking - Sun, April 26, 2026 | 8:00 am GMT+7
Posco invests $282 mln in battery materials plant in northern Vietnam
South Korean conglomerate Posco will invest a $282 million battery materials project in Vietnam's northern province of Thai Nguyen, marking its first overseas project in the artificial graphite segment.
Industries - Sat, April 25, 2026 | 10:13 pm GMT+7
Hyundai Rotem eyes Vietnam's North-South high-speed railway project
South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem is seeking to expand its footprint in Vietnam’s rail sector, including potential participation in the country’s planned North-South high-speed railway.
Infrastructure - Sat, April 25, 2026 | 6:58 pm GMT+7
Masan shares undervalued by 60%: CEO
Masan Group’s MSN shares are trading at a steep discount to intrinsic value and the corporation targets stronger cash generation over the next decade, said CEO Danny Le.
Companies - Sat, April 25, 2026 | 2:33 pm GMT+7
Vietcombank aims to complete private placement in 2026
The chairman of Vietcombank said the state-controlled lender is working with potential investors and is in detailed negotiations, with a view to executing a private placement in 2026, subject to market conditions.
Banking - Sat, April 25, 2026 | 9:35 am GMT+7
PVOIL targets 30% profit hike, expands into aviation fuel and EV charging
PVOIL, a subsidiary of state-owned Petrovietnam, has set a target of stronger profit growth in 2026 as it diversifies beyond traditional fuel retail into aviation fuel and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
Companies - Sat, April 25, 2026 | 8:17 am GMT+7
Foxconn accelerates investment in Vietnam, moves toward humanoid robot manufacturing
Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn), a major Apple supplier, is signaling a deeper expansion in Vietnam as it pushes beyond traditional electronics manufacturing into higher-value automation, including industrial humanoid robots.
Industries - Fri, April 24, 2026 | 6:44 pm GMT+7
Century Synthetic Fiber Corp. targets 38% profit growth, bets on recycled fiber
Century Synthetic Fiber Corporation (HoSE: STK) aims for a 37.7% increase in 2026 pre-tax profit to VND128.5 billion ($4.88 million), driven primarily by its recycled fiber segment and a newly operational plant invested by its subsidiary Unitex.
Companies - Fri, April 24, 2026 | 5:31 pm GMT+7
Vietnam developer TTC Land eyes steady cash flow with sister firm acquisition
Saigon Thuong Tin Real Estate JSC (TTC Land), a subsidiary of multi-sector conglomerate TTC Group, is moving to secure stable, recurring revenue through the acquisition of Thanh Thanh Nam (TTN), another TTC Group member.
Companies - Fri, April 24, 2026 | 3:31 pm GMT+7
