AsemconnectVietnam - The tradingeconomics.com cited the figures of the General Statics Office of Vietnam as saying that, in January of 2026, Vietnam’s annual inflation rate slowed to 2.53%; trade deficit reached 1.78 billion USD; CPI, FDI, industrial production saw growth.

Vietnam’s annual inflation rate slowed to 2.53% in January
Vietnam’s annual inflation rate slowed to 2.53% in January of 2026, the lowest since July of 2023, down from 3.48% in December of 2025.
Inflation eased across most sub-components, particularly food and foodstuff services (3.64% vs 4.20% in December), driven by a decline in food costs (-1.22%).
Price growth also moderated for beverages and cigarettes (1.95% vs 2.05%), garments, hats, and footwear (1.21% vs 1.33%), household equipment and goods (1.71% vs 1.77%), and medicine and healthcare services (0.92% vs 10.27%).
Deflation deepened for transport (-3.76% vs -0.55%) and information and communication (-0.28% vs -0.25%). In contrast, inflation picked up for housing, electricity, water, fuel, and construction materials (5.60% vs 5.23%) and education (3.14% vs 3.05%).
On a monthly basis, consumer prices inched up 0.05%, following a 0.19% gain in December. The core inflation rate eased to 3.19% from 3.27% in December. Vietnam got a trade deficit of USD 1.78 billion in January of 2026
Vietnam posted a trade deficit of USD 1.78 billion in January of 2026, shifting from a USD 3.1 billion surplus in the same month of 2024.
It marked the second straight month of trade deficit and the largest gap since February 2022, as exports rose less than imports.
The exports grew by 29.7% year-on-year to USD 43.19 billion, while imports jumped 49.2% to USD 44.97 billion.
In January of this year, the country’s exports of of processed industrial goods totaled USD 38.43 billion, accounting for 89.0% of total exports, while imports of production materials amounted to USD 42.3 billion, representing 94.0% of total imports.
The US remained Vietnam’s largest export market, with turnover reaching USD 13.9 billion, while China was the largest importer, with turnover of USD 19.0 billion. Last year, Vietnam registered a trade surplus of USD 20.03 billion, with exports and imports rising by 17.0% and 19.4%, respectively.
CPI increased in January
Consumer Price Index CPI in Vietnam increased to 104.33 points in January from 104.28 points in December of 2025. Consumer Price Index CPI in Vietnam averaged 65.70 points from 1995 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 120.44 points in October of 2025 and a record low of 23.16 points in January of 1995.
FDI into Vietnam increased 11.3% in January
Foreign direct investment (FDI) disbursed in Vietnam reached USD 1.68 billion in January of 2026, up by 11.3% year-on-year from USD 1.51 billion, signaling continued expansion of foreign business activities. In contrast, the total registered FDI fell 40.6% to USD 2.57 billion, largely due to a 67.4% decline in additional capital and a 38.6% drop in capital through share acquisitions. Newly registered capital, however, rose by 15.7% to USD 1.489 billion across 349 projects, with the number of projects increasing 23.8%.
By sector, manufacturing and processing accounted for the largest share (76.3%), followed by real estate (9.7%), information and communications (5.2%), wholesale and retail trade (4.8%), and professional activities (2.2%). Singapore remained the largest investor with 41.5% of total registered capital, followed by South Korea, China, and Japan. The Ministry of Finance said the data reflect sustained investor confidence amid global supply chain shifts.
Vietnam industrial output growth surged to near 4-year high
Vietnam’s industrial production surged 21.5% year-on-year in January of 2025, sharply accelerating from a 10.1% increase in the previous month and marking the 12th straight month of expansion.
The latest reading marked the fastest since April of 2021, largely reflecting seasonal factors tied to pre-Lunar New Year production. The Output growth strengthened across most sectors, including manufacturing (23.6% vs 10.9% in December of 2025), electricity and gas supply (14.1% vs 11.2%), and water supply, waste management, and wastewater treatment (13.6% vs 6.3%). Meanwhile, mining and quarrying picked up sharply (10.3% vs 0.2%). On a monthly basis, industrial output edged down 0.2%, reversing a 0.2% gain in December. In 2025, industrial production rose 9.2% from the prior year.
Vietnam retail sales growth eased in January
Vietnam retail sales growth increased by 9.3% year-on-year in January 2026, easing from a 9.8% rise in the previous month. Sales growth remained robust across all components but on a slower pace compared to previous month. Retail activity softened mostly for accommodation and food services (9.4% vs 14.2% in December of 2025), travel and tourism (14% vs 19.9%), and other services (8.9% vs 12.7%). On the other hand, retail of goods, accounting 77% of overall retail sales, grew by 9.3%, accelerating from an 8.6% rise in the prior period. On a monthly basis, retail trade rose by 2.6% in January, slowing from a 3.9% gain in the preceding month. For the full year 2025, retail sales were up by 9.2% compared with 2024.
Vietnam tourist arrivals grow 18.5% yoy in January
International arrivals to Vietnam rose by 18.5% year-on-year to 2.45 million in January of 2026, the highest since records began in 2015, following a 15.7% increase in the previous month. Breakthrough visa policies, innovative in promotion and marketing, increased product diversification, and improved service quality helped attract a large number of international visitors. Arrivals from Asia increased by 12.3%, led by South Korea, China, and Cambodia, while particularly strong growth was recorded from Cambodia (122.7%), India (80.5%), Philippines (75.0%), and Singapore (51.7%). Visitors from the Americas also rose by 14.2%, particularly from the US (12.0%) and Canada (22.9%). In Europe, arrivals surged by 59.0%, with notable increases from Russia (195.1%), the UK (23.0%), France (25.3%), and Germany (18.0%). Tourists from Australia went up by 12.8%, while arrivals from Africa climbed by 45.4%. On a monthly basis, arrivals rose by 21.4%.
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Source: VITIC/tradingeconomics.com