AsemconnectVietnam - With a growth rate of 8.39% achieved in the second quarter of 2026, GDP growth in the first half of 2026 was estimated to reach 8.18%.

Vietnam's GDP growth in the first six months of 2026 was estimated to reach 8.18%.
Amidst the continuing complex and unpredictable global situation, a number of major financial institutions worldwide have simultaneously revised down their forecasts for global economic growth in 2026 compared to previous reports.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations (UN), and Fitch Ratings (FR) have all adjusted down their forecasts by 0.2 percentage points, with the IMF forecasting 3.1%, the UN 2.5%, and Fitch Ratings 2.4%. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank (WB) also adjusted their growth forecasts downwards by 0.1 percentage points to 2.8% (OECD) and 2.5% (WB).
Clearly recognizing external challenges, the Government and the Prime Minister have decisively directed ministries, sectors, and localities to focus on implementing synchronously and flexibly tasks and solutions to promote growth, aiming for double-digit growth in 2026.
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, Director of the Statistics Department, Ministry of Finance, the important lever for this transformation is the effective operation of the two-tiered local government model. Simultaneously, the continued improvement of institutions, the promotion of decentralization and delegation of power, and strong administrative procedure reforms have significantly enhanced the effectiveness and efficiency of state management.
“These reforms not only expand the development space and strengthen regional linkages but also help mobilize and optimally utilize resources for investment and development. As a result, the socio-economic situation in the second quarter and the first six months of 2026 achieved many positive results,” Ms. Huong emphasized.
Specifically, according to the Report on the Socio-Economic Situation in the Second Quarter and the First Six Months of 2026 by the General Statistics Office, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2026 was estimated to grow quite strongly at a rate of 8.39% compared to the same period last year. Overall, in the first six months of 2026, the GDP of the entire economy increased by 8.18%, significantly higher than the 7.63% increase in the same period of 2025.
The growth picture reflects the balanced and positive contributions from all three pillars of the economy. In particular, the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector maintained its role as a "pillar" with a 3.87% increase in added value, contributing 5.66% to the total added value of the entire economy (agriculture increased by 3.57%; forestry by 3.98%; and fisheries showed impressive growth of 4.88%).
The industry and construction sector maintained positive growth thanks to the strong recovery of export orders and the spillover effects from key public investment projects. Accordingly, the added value of the industry and construction sector in the first six months of the year surged by 9.86% compared to the same period in 2025, contributing up to 40.35% to the total added value of the entire economy.
In particular, the manufacturing industry continued to be the pillar driving the economy with a growth rate of 10.23% (contributing 33.07% to the total added value).
The electricity production and distribution sector increased by 9.34%; water supply and waste treatment increased by 7.72%; and mining increased by 6.67%. The construction sector also recorded high growth at 9.51%.
In the service sector, trade, transportation, and tourism activities grew strongly thanks to increased consumer demand and a bustling domestic supply chain. The service sector increased by 8.09% in the first six months of the year, contributing 47.14% to the overall growth.
The market-oriented service sectors with a large proportion showed very good growth: Transportation and warehousing increased by 10.18%; Wholesale and retail trade increased by 9.67%; accommodation and food services increased by 8.05%; financial, banking and insurance activities increased by 7.97%; administrative and support services increased by 8.99%.
Regarding the economic structure, according to Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, the first six months of 2026 continued to shift towards industrialization and modernization. The industrial-construction and service sectors will account for a large proportion.
Specifically, the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector accounted for 10.61% (down from 11.28% in the same period of 2025); The industrial and construction sector accounted for 37.66% (up from 36.82% in 2025) and the service sector accounts for 43.52% (down from 43.59% in the same period of 2025), while product taxes less product subsidies account for 8.21%.
From the perspective of GDP utilization in the first six months of the year, the trend of integration and investment development is extremely evident. The final consumption increased by 8.15% compared to the same period last year; asset accumulation increased sharply at 15.20%.
In particular, import and export activities witnessed a boom, with exports of goods and services increasing by 20.18%, while imports of goods and services increased by 26.44% to meet the demand for raw materials for production and high-tech investment.
CK
Source: VITICvneconomy.vn