The Vietnamese government released the latest data on Friday showing that the country's economic growth accelerated further in the second quarter this year compared to the first quarter, but the trade deficit in the first half reached a record high, indicating that external economic pressures remain.
According to reports, the General Statistics Office of Vietnam stated in its report that from April to June this year, Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 8.39% year-on-year, higher than the revised growth rate of 7.94% in the first quarter.
The Vietnamese government plans to achieve an economic growth target of over 10% this year and continue to increase investment in infrastructure construction to promote economic development. However, developments in the international situation, including the impact of tensions in the Middle East, may add challenges to achieving the target.
The statistics office pointed out that the global economic environment will remain complex and volatile in the first half of 2026, and the overall situation is becoming increasingly difficult to predict. Global inflationary pressures continue to rise, the financial market environment is tightening, and there are signs of a slowdown in global economic growth.
Data shows that Vietnam’s annual inflation rate in June was 4.69%, down from 5.6% in May, but still slightly above the government’s full-year inflation target of 4.5%.
In trade, Vietnam’s export value of goods in June increased by 28.1% year-on-year to $50.79 billion, while import value surged by 45.2% to $53.43 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $2.64 billion for the month.
Due to rising import fuel prices, Vietnam’s trade deficit in the first half of this year expanded to $16.65 billion, compared to a trade surplus of $7.95 billion in the same period last year.
In addition, in the first six months of this year, foreign investment inflows to Vietnam increased by 11.2% year-on-year, reaching $13 billion.
Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Finance previously stated that despite challenges such as an expanding trade deficit and increased external risks, the authorities will maintain their 10% economic growth target for this year.