Vietnam posts trade deficit of US$16.65bil in first six months


A container is lifted by crane during cargo handling operations at a port terminal in Hai Phong, northern Vietnam. - Photo: VNA/VNS

HANOI: Vietnam’s total import–export turnover in June reached US$104.2 billion, up 5.2 per cent month-on-month and 36.3 per cent year-on-year, according to a socio-economic report for the second quarter and first half of 2026 released on Friday (July 3) by the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance.

Overall, total trade in the first six months stood at $549.69 billion, up 27.1 per cent year-on-year, driven by strong growth in both exports and imports.

Exports rose 21 per cent to $266.5 billion, while imports increased 33.4 per cent to $283.2 billion, reflecting stronger production activity and rising input demand, particularly in the foreign-invested sector, according to the NSO.

During the period, 29 export items recorded a turnover of above $1 billion, accounting for 92.1 per cent of total exports, including five items exceeding $10 billion and making up 62.6 per cent.

In June alone, export turnover reached $50.8 billion, up 8.2 per cent month-on-month, while imports stood at $53.4 billion, up 2.5 per cent.

Export growth was led by the foreign-invested sector, which continued to account for the majority share, while domestic enterprises also posted steady gains.

In the second quarter, exports reached $143.6 billion, up 22.7 per cent year-on-year.

By structure, processed industrial goods remained the dominant export category, accounting for the vast majority of shipments, followed by agricultural goods, seafood, and fuels and minerals.

On the import side, capital goods such as machinery and equipment continued to make up the bulk of purchases, alongside raw materials for production, while consumer goods accounted for a small share.

For the first half, Vietnam recorded a trade deficit of $16.7 billion, compared with a surplus in the same period last year, as imports grew faster than exports. - Vietnam News/ANN

 

 

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