Market demand increased significantly in February, driven by higher spending on food, clothing, household appliances and other daily necessities.

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Retail sales of goods in the month were estimated at about 11.85 trillion VND (about 452 million USD), up 21.7% from the same period last year.

In the first two months combined, total retail sales reached approximately 23.35 trillion VND, representing a year-on-year increase of 17.4%.

Several essential goods categories recorded notable growth. Sales of food and foodstuffs rose 13.4% compared with the same period last year. Household equipment and appliances increased by 25.3%, while wood products and construction materials posted an 18% rise.

Beyond retail trade, the service sector also experienced strong expansion. Revenue from accommodation and food services grew 16.6% year-on-year, supported by a surge in visitors travelling for spring outings, festivals and spiritual tourism during the early days of the lunar new year.

Travel and tourism services saw particularly strong growth, with revenue from travel agencies jumping 35.9%. The increase highlights the appeal of Bac Ninh’s cultural destinations and traditional festivals, which continue to attract large numbers of visitors.

Other service industries also expanded by around 30% overall. Real estate activities recorded a 35.4% rise in revenue, while administrative and support services increased by 28.6%. Activities related to arts, entertainment and recreation grew by 25.1%.

The strong performance in the first two months of the year is seen as a positive signal for the province’s domestic market, indicating solid recovery in consumer demand.

The results are expected to provide momentum for further growth in commerce, services and tourism in the coming months, contributing to Bac Ninh’s broader socio-economic development targets for 2026.

Industrial production posts strong growth in first two months

According to the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance, the index of industrial production (IIP) in February was estimated to decrease 18.4% from the previous month but increase 1% year on year. Overall, in the January–February period, the IIP rose 10.4% compared with the same period last year.

 

Nearly 35,500 new businesses set up in first two months

The enterprises registered combined capital of about 313.7 trillion VND and more than 167,500 employees. Compared with the same period last year, the number of new businesses surged by 70.7%, while registered capital rose by 36.1% and registered labour increased by 19.1%.

 

Vietnam’s overseas investment rises 2.3-fold in first two months

During the period, 36 new overseas projects were granted investment certificates with total registered capital from Vietnamese investors reaching 532.4 million USD, up 2.3 times compared to the same period last year. In addition, three projects adjusted their capital with an additional 7.8 million USD, 1.5 times higher than a year earlier.

 

Rice exports up 5% in volume in first two months of 2026

In the first two months of the year, rice exports reached 1.3 million tonnes valued at 599.3 million USD, up 5% in volume but down 11.2% in value compared with the same period last year.

 

4 Vietnamese lenders rank among world’s top 100 banking brands

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