Banking & Finance

In the money market last week (September 19 to September 23), the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) continued to use open market operation tools to maintain sufficient liquidity in the system and indirectly move on the interbank interest rate level. At the end of the week, the central bank net withdrew VND34.6 trillion ($1.46 billion) through the open market channel and VND23 trillion ($967 million) through foreign currency sales. It recently increased some operating interest rates, after nearly eleven years since the last increase. Rates such as discount rates and refinancing rates were raised by 1 per cent.

State-owned commercial banks such as Vietcombank, VietinBank, and Agribank increased deposit interest rates by 0.8 to 1.3 per cent on September 27. This will likely push up all deposit rates.

Viet Dragon Securities (VDSC) has said that in the context of central banks in other countries not dealing resolutely with high inflation, the USD may return to its peak established in early 2022. This means that pressure will inevitably be on the VND/USD exchange rate, and the VND could depreciate 4-5 per cent this year. Notably, lending interest rates will also increase sharply in the near future.

According to KBSV Securities, despite the ongoing decline, the VN-Index is still forecast to reach 1,330 points by the end of the year, with average EPS growth of 18.3 per cent forecast for companies listed on HSX.

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) issued Official Letter No. 9691/BTC-CST to ministries and branches on September 23, seeking opinions on a draft Resolution from the National Assembly on reducing the special consumption tax (SCT) on gasoline and VAT on oil and gasoline.

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has simultaneously increased the refinancing interest rate to 5 per cent per annum, the rediscount rate to 3.5 per cent per annum, the maximum interest rate for demand deposits and terms of less than one month to 0.5 per cent per annum, and term deposits from one month to less than six months to 5.0 per cent per annum. Rates on overnight loans in interbank electronic payments and loans from the SBV to cover capital shortfalls in clearing payments to credit institutions and foreign bank branches is 6.0 per cent per annum.