Barricade tape separates stores and vegetable vendors in Ho Chi Minh City
HANOI, June 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Vietnam’s economic growth accelerated in the second quarter, despite the country’s worst Covid outbreak yet, as global demand regains momentum.
Gross domestic product rose 6.61% in the second quarter compared to a year earlier, up from a revised 4.65% in the first quarter, the General Statistics Office said Tuesday.
The economy expanded 5.64% for the first six months of the year, compared to the government’s latest forecast of 5.8% growth for the first half of 2021, down from the 6.22% forecast in January. The government expects GDP to grow 6.5% for the full year.
The State Bank of Vietnam said last week it will hold policy rates stable in the second half of the year and pursue flexible monetary and currency policies, as it remains vigilant about rising inflation.
The monetary regulator is seeking to shore up the economy amid Vietnam’s worst coronavirus outbreak and slow vaccine rollout. — NNN-AGENCIES
