Job cuts continue in embattled property sector

Published

4 months ago

June 2, 2023

Job cuts continue in embattled property sector

Buildings in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

The mass layoffs that began last year amid a market decline continue in the struggling property sector, with major developers and brokerages downsizing their sales teams to survive.

Property developer Dat Xanh Group laid off 1,384 people in the first quarter after letting go 3,191 in the previous one.

Its brokerage subsidiary, Dat Xanh Services, sacked 1,245 employees last quarter after letting go 3,000 in the final quarter of 2022.

The company expects more cuts in the remaining months of this year amid the continuing market slump.

Giant developer Novaland has been downsizing since last year and only had 1,362 employees on its payrolls at the end of March, a stark contrast to 2021 when it sought to hire 2,000 new workers.

It posted its first quarterly loss — of VND410 billion (US$17.45 million) — since listing its shares on the stock market in 2016, while revenues fell by 70% year-on-year.

Many brokerages partnering with Novaland have either cut 70-80% of their payroll or closed down as of May.

Other developers such as Danh Khoi, Hung Thinh, An Gia, Thu Duc House, Hoang Quan, Phat Dat, and LDG have also been laying off staff.

The marketing head of a Ho Chi Minh City brokerage said since March he has been doing multiple jobs, including as a secretary and customer service officer, after 80% of the staff were sacked.

The company has been owing salaries since the beginning of this year, which means people are likely quit in the coming months, he said.

“I have been working in the industry for 18 years, but never seen a layoff wave this big.”

Data from the Vietnam Association of Realtors shows that 40-50% of property transaction platforms shut down in the first quarter, and the number of brokers was 70% down since the beginning of 2022.

What property firms are struggling with most are the drying up of cash flows due to plunging sales and inability to repay debts.

Companies in the construction, architecture and design segments are also struggling, according to the association.

The number of companies in the property sector registering in the first quarter fell by 63% year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office.

The number shutting down temporarily was up 60.7% at 1,816, while 341 closed for good, a 30.2% increase.

Tran Xuan Ngoc, CEO of developer Nam Long Group, said 2023 would be a challenging year for the sector with the difficulties being even more severe than during the 2013 crisis.

They would persist in 2024, he said.

“This is a severe and inevitable crisis. Property companies must restructure completely to survive.”

Nguyen Mac Hoai Nam, CEO of property consultancy Nam Phat, said the 2016-20 boom caused prices go out of control, and the challenges mushrooming now are a result of that.

Source: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/property/job-cuts-continue-in-embattled-property-sector-4611437.html

Vietnam-Australia Digital Forum 2023: Making Vietnamese digital enterprises go global

Published

4 days ago

September 20, 2023

TienphongNews

The Vietnam – Australia Digital Forum 2023 was held in Sydney, the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), on August 4 to promote the cooperation in information and communication technology as well as the digital field between the two countries.

Vietnam-Australia Digital Forum 2023: Making Vietnamese digital enterprises go global hinh anh 1

The signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Vietnam’s Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology and its Australian partners. (Photo: VNA)

Sydney – The Vietnam – Australia Digital Forum 2023 was held in Sydney, the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), on August 4 to promote the cooperation in information and communication technology as well as the digital field between the two countries.

The event was co-organised by Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and the NSW Trade and Investment Department in charge of the Vietnam market.

The forum took place as part of Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung’s visit to Australia, Director of the MIC’s Department of International Cooperation Trieu Minh Long told Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Sydney.

In 2023, one of the key tasks that the ministry focuses on implementing is to support Vietnam’s digital business community go global. In addition to activities in Australia, it also implements programmes in other countries and regions around the world such as the US, Japan, and Europe.

Long highlighted strengths of Vietnam’s digital technology enterprises, saying some of them have been successful in foreign markets, even in choosy markets like the US and Japan.

One of the advantages of Vietnamese businesses when accessing the Australian market is that the two countries have good diplomatic and economic relations, along with the strong Vietnamese community in Australia.

Speaking at the forum, Consul General of Vietnam in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia Nguyen Dang Thang said that developing a digital platform is a breakthrough solution to promote faster digital transformation, reduce costs and increase economic efficiency.

International cooperation is also an important solution to carry out digital transformation, especially promoting the transformation in society, thereby creating momentum for the digital transformation process in government agencies, he added.
Highlighting the two countries’ new cooperation opportunities, Thang said Vietnam and Australia have a strong cooperative relationship, high political trust which is an important point for cooperation in cybersecurity.

Karla Lampe, Director of NSW International Engagement & Market Development under the NSW’s Department of Enterprises, Investment and Trade (DEIT), emphasised that Vietnam and Australia are maintaining strongest-ever partnership, both from economic perspective and from the ties between the two governments. Both New South Wales and Vietnam have large technology companies and influential individuals in the media.

She expressed her hope that the two countries further promote economic and trade ties in the future, and outline ambitious digital transformation goals.

At the forum, representatives from agencies, organisations, research institutions and businesses of the two countries discussed issues related to information and communication technology, and digital technology to learn about policy incentives, the investment environment in Vietnam and Australia.

At the end of the forum, they witnesses the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Vietnam’s Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology and its Australian partners including Western Sydney University, the University of Canberra, SET Education, the Association of Vietnamese Australian Scholars and Professionals (VASEA)./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/vietnamaustralia-digital-forum-2023-making-vietnamese-digital-enterprises-go-global/265680.vnp

Business

Vietnam lures over 16 billion USD in foreign investment

Published

4 days ago

September 20, 2023

TienphongNews

As of July 20, total newly-registered capital, additional capital, and capital contributions and share purchase by foreign investors stood at nearly 16.24 billion USD, up 4.5% compared to the same period of 2022 and 8.8% compared to the first half of the year.

Vietnam lures over 16 billion USD in foreign investment hinh anh 1

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/vietnam-lures-over-16-billion-usd-in-foreign-investment/265410.vnp

Business

Vietnam’s macro-economy stays stable, inflation controlled: official

Published

4 days ago

September 20, 2023

TienphongNews

Vietnam’s marco-economic continues to stay stable and inflation is controlled Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son told a press conference following monthly cabinet meeting in Hanoi on August 5.

Vietnam’s macro-economy stays stable, inflation controlled: official hinh anh 1

The regular press conference takes places on August 5 in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi – Vietnam’s
marco-economic continues to stay stable and inflation is controlled Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son told a press conference following monthly cabinet meeting in Hanoi on August 5.

Son said that the cabinet meeting for July focused on assessing and discussing the socio-economic situation in July
and first seven months of 2023; the progress of the programme on
socio-economic recovery and development; public investment capital
allocation and disbursement; and the implementation of three national target
programmes among others.

According to Son, participants to the meeting held that in July,
the socio-economic situation was improved compared to the previous month,
contributing to the country’s performance in the first seven months.

So far, the macro-economic situation has remained
stable, while inflation has been controlled. In the first seven months, the
average consumer price index (CPI) increased 3.12%, while all the major
economic balances were ensured.

State budget collection exceeded 1 quadrillion VND
(42.13 billion USD), equivalent to 62.7% of the estimate. Meanwhile, the
country’s exports fetched 195.4 billion USD, with a trade surplus of 16.5
billion USD.

In July, the Index of Industrial Production (IIP)
rose 3.9% month on month and 3.7% year on year. Total revenue from retail of
goods and services increased 7.1% year on year in July and 10.4% in seven
months.

At the same time, the country welcomed more than 1
million foreign visitors in July and 6.6 million in the January-July period,
6.9 times higher than that in the same period last year.

In seven months, 267.63 trillion VND of public
investment capital was disbursed, completing 37.85% of the yearly target, 3.38%
increase year on year. Meanwhile, the country attracted nearly 16.24 billion
USD in foreign direct investment (FDI), up 4.5%.

In July, 13,700 new businesses were established,
raising the total number of new firms to 131,900 in seven months.

Social welfare, security and defence were also
kept stable.

To date, nearly 93.8 trillion VND of the
socio-economic recovery and development programme has been disbursed. Requests
of localities have also been responded to in a timely manner.

Son said that Prime Minister Pham
Minh Chinh clearly pointed out tasks focusing on removing difficulties for production and business, giving
priority to promoting growth, creating jobs, ensuring livelihoods for people
associated with stabilising the macro-economy, controlling inflation, and ensuring
major balances of the economy.

The PM also asked
ministries, agencies and localities to accelerate the disbursement of public investment capital, and carry out the socio-economic
recovery and development programme, as well as three national target programmes. He urged agencies
to strengthen
forecasts, warnings and provide timely information on
natural disasters and readiness for rescue works, Son said, adding that the PM assigned
specific tasks to particular ministries, sectors and localities in the time to
come./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/vietnams-macroeconomy-stays-stable-inflation-controlled-official/265691.vnp