 |
Ads By CbproAds |
|
|
|
||
| Current Saigon time |
| Saigon Weather |
|
|
||||
| SaigonToday: Your Guide to News, Events, Entertainment, Travel, Shopping, Picture Gallery and more ... | ||||
| News |
|
Health ministry seizes toxic candy HA NOI
VNS
Investors ignore positive signs HA NOI
Despite a lift on Friday from the State Bank of Viet Nam’s announcement that it would leave the prime rate unchanged through April, shares on the HCM City Stock Exchange saw a losing week overall last week, with the VN-Index dropping by a cumulative 2.07 per cent to a close on Friday of 505.30. Average daily trading volumes retreated from the previous week to about 45 million shares, a drop of 15.54 per cent, while average daily value declined by nearly 19.2 per cent to VND1.88 trillion (US$98 million). On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, meanwhile, the HNX-Index finished down on the week by a whopping 3.59 per cent, ending the day on Friday at 163.76 points. The average daily value of trades in Ha Noi fell slightly by 7.56 per cent to around VND898 billion ($47 million) on an average volume of just 27.2 million shares. The markets were clouded by the release of four major items of economic news during the week, including announcements that inflation had climbed by 0.75 per cent in March, the trade deficit had expanded in the first quarter to $3.6 billion (a full 25.6 per cent of total export turnover), and the nation’s growth rate had hit 5.83 per cent in the first quarter of the year, as well as the decision on the prime rate. Except for the trade deficit number, the other news was regarded as positive but nevertheless failed to boost shares, said FPT Securities Co analyst Le Thi Bich Hang, suggesting that wary investor psychology continued to rule investor decisions rather than economic data or business results. "Indices on both bourses were down, along with declines in both trading volumes and values, which sent another negative signal reflecting investor caution," Hang said. Foreign investors concluded last week as net buyers on both exchanges, but the net value of their buys dropped by over 63 per cent from the previous week to VND114.8 billion ($6 million), Hang noted. "The market seems to be being manipulated by a few speculators," said Le Dat Chi of the HCM City University of Economics. While inflation in March was under control, investors were obsessed by and fixated on the prime rate, which actually had less significance, since real market lending rates were far beyond the base 8-per-cent rate, reaching 15-18 per cent. Meanwhile, investors ignored much constructive information said Chi, including the Ministry of Finance decision to allow margin trading and a reduction in the clearance time for shares to just two days, information that would have given the market a real boost in prior years. "Negative sentiment will continue to send the market down, and when share prices fall to the expectations of speculators, they will then start to buy," Chi said. Bao Viet Securities Co analysts said the market concealed risk in the short term as investor sentiment was unstable and investors needed time to regain their confidence. They encouraged short-term investors to stay out of the market and wait for clearer signs of an uptrend, but they advised medium- and long-term investors to pick up shares that declined by more than 1 per cent. Analysts of Saigon Securities Inc and Viet Capital Securities Co retained a brighter outlook, predicting the market this week would be buoyed by the release of first-quarter business results by listed companies and the movement of investment funds to close out their net asset values at the end of March.
VNS
Singapore's franchises eye Viet Nam HCM CITY
Singapore companies see Viet Nam as a "hot-spot" for franchise investment, director of Singapore’s Astreem Corporation Pte Ltd. Hsien Naidu said at a press conference last week to announce a coming franchise seminar. Ten Singapore franchise companies in the food, beverage and lifestyle sectors including Pasta Mania, Polar Puffs, 3-Monkeys Cafe, Worldwide Wings, Kooshi, Animal and TTQ Massage would seek franchises in the Vietnamese market in the coming month, he said. The seminar called Franchise Viet Nam 2010 will be held in HCM City on April 9 for franchisers to meet and develop more business here. It will provide business owners with franchising knowledge and opportunities to expand their businesses locally and across borders. Established brands from Singapore that are ready to enter the Vietnamese market will be represented. Dr.T.Chandroo, deputy chairman of Singapore’s Franchising&Licensing Association and chief executive Officer of Modern Montessori International said Viet Nam’s population of 86 million, 65 per cent of them under 35, was open to modern services, making it a good opportunity for Singapore franchise companies. Bui Le Quan from Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Exhibition Services Ltd.Co. said the Viet Nam franchising market was estimated to experience 20-30 per cent growth annually. Viet Nam currently has 100 international brands operating franchising agreements with local partners, according to Quan.
VNS
Imported fruit, meat samples found to be contaminated HA NOI
A high proportion of imported fruit recently tested by health inspectors was found to be contaminated with potentially harmful levels of chemicals, the Viet Nam Food Hygiene and Safety Department reported on Wednesday. Of ten tangerine samples imported from China, two tested positive for excessive quantities of deltamethrin, a synthetic insecticide. Meanwhile, of 40 samples of pear, grape, red apple and tangerine of Chinese origin tested for harmful substances, four had excessive amounts of preservatives derived from chloride, while eight samples were shown to have excessive amounts of organic pesticide. The report was released at a conference on food hygiene and safety organised by the Ministry of Health in Ha Noi. Lam Quoc Hung, head of the Food Poisoning Office, said most of the insecticides and preservatives found in the fruits contained a significant proportion of pyrethroid, a synthetic pesticide that is harmful to fish and other aquatic organisms but is generally harmless to humans. "These insecticides if being used in large amounts over time however may cause rashes or even food poisoning," Hung said. The conference also heard that of 1,500 samples of meat and meat products from across the country tested recently, 41 per cent had salmonella, a bacterium that can cause food poisoning gastroenteritis and typhoid. Nguyen Cong Khan, head of the Food Hygiene and Safety Department, said that in 2009, 20 per cent to 40 per cent of health violations related to poor or missing labelling on packaging. Twenty per cent of samples taken were also shown to be sub-standard. The report also stated that above one-third of food enterprises inspected had violated food-safety regulations. Most of these firms were based in southern Tra Vinh, Vinh Long provinces, central Khanh Hoa and northern Yen Bai and Ninh Binh provinces. Furthermore, just 20-30 per cent of the food enterprises inspected were certified to operate. Trinh Quan Huan, deputy minister of health, said the authorities would monitor the situation. "The ministry and related departments will publish the names of those provinces that are effectively or ineffectively controlling food safety."
VNS
Fireworks dazzle Da Nang DA NANG
The coldness of a sudden monsoon couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of tens of thousands of people who elbowed themselves into the crowd along the Han River on Saturday night for the start of a two-day international fireworks competition in the central city of Da Nang.
At 8.35pm the crowd burst into applause after municipal People’s Committee chairman Tran Van Minh declared the contest open to celebrate the city’s liberation day and the 1,000th anniversary of capitalHa Noi.
The water and sky were lit up by the magnificent fireworks representing "The Legend of Han River", in harmony with a variety of music. Thirty-five imperial boats representing the number of years since the city’s liberation sailed around garlands of flowers and coloured lanterns. Five teams from France, Japan, Portugal, the US and host Da Nang-Viet Nam took part in the festival. Competitors promised to bring something special to this years event with performances based on famous folk tales of dragons and ferries and they didn’t disappoint. Audiences on Saturday were treated to a free and easy Portugal, a Japanese philosophy of peace and hope and a Viet Nam full of vitality. Yesterday’s performances also displayed a merry US soul and a romantic France despite quite heavy rain.
Street audiences
Members of the audience who didn’t manage to get a seat in the 26,000 capacity grand stand took up positions wherever they could – on balconies, on fences and even in trees. Signs advertising views of the fireworks were seen in most hotels and restaurants along the river, but there were no vacancies by the evening. Photographer Trinh Thong Thien said it was very hard for him to take pictures from the Han River swing-bridge because there was not enough room. Local people said their hearts quickened as they watched the performance echo out the nation’s four-thousand-year history, especially on such an important occasion for the country in general and the city in particular. From 4pm, locals and tourists were seen walking along the streets of Da Nang heading for the city centre where the fireworks festival was to take place. "We would walk even further to enjoy the performance," a walker told a Viet Nam News reporter about four kilometres away from the river. "The atmosphere will be great." Some even attended the event on an empty stomach. "I’d rather forget about my dinner than miss a wonderful fireworks party like this," said a young man who sat on the roadside after the show, with a bottle of water and a loaf of bread in his hands. "We watched the performances last year and the desire to enjoy them again was more than enough to lure us back to this coastal city," said a group of tourists from HCM City. "The city has it’s own unique way of holding an event, and fireworks festivals have become synonymous with Da Nang and it’s cultural and tourism products that promote its image to tourists both at home and abroad," they said. The Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the enormous number of people that attended the event, estimated at 70,000, was good for the city’s tourism industry that has targeted more than VND1 trillion (US$54 million) in total turnover for tourism related areas this year.
VNS
Nation saves energy during Earth Hour HA NOI
Viet Nam saved 500,000 kWh of power during ‘Earth Hour 2010’, according to the National Electricity Dispatching Centre. The result reflected the results of a mass switch off between 8.30pm and 9.30pm yesterday. Ha Noi was among over 20 cities and provinces nationwide that responded to Earth Hour with a message of ‘Small action for big change’. At 20.30pm, all the lights were turned off at the Opera House and public buildings nearby such as the Tortoise Tower, The Huc Bridge, Ngoc Son Temple, Ly Thai To Garden, the Hilton Opera Hotel and the headquarters of the Ha Noi Municipal People’s Committee, People’s Council and City Party Committee. Many households, organisations and enterprises across the capital city also participated in Earth Hour to mitigate climate change in Viet Nam. Elsewhere, 29 districts and towns also turned off their lights in response to the programme. HCM City saved 67,000 kWh of power during this year’s Earth Hour and as much as 140,000 kWh was saved throughout the country last year, according to the National Electricity Dispatching Centre. Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia, and became a global campaign in 2007. Last year over 1 billion people in over 4000 cities and towns in 88 countries took part in the event. In HCM City, performance artists and poets collaborated in unprecedented shows to mark Earth Hour and to celebrate Mother Earth at three locations across the city last Saturday. Staged by the Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism and the Sai Gon Media Company, the shows were separated into two categories: ‘Poetry and the Earth’ and ‘Theatre and the Earth’. ‘Poetry and the Earth’ was held in District 1’s History Museum, attracting lots of poetry fans who mixed with around 60 poets, including Nguyen Duy, Ton Nu Hi Khuong, Pham Sy Sau, Bui Chi Vinh and Nguyen Thai Duong among others. Poets recited immortal poems of love, nature and peace during Earth Hour by candle light. ‘Theatre and the Earth’ took place in front of District 1’s Hung Kings’ Temple where actors performed a one-hour drama entitled ‘Poetry Queen’ in both cai luong (reformed theatre) and ca tru singing and at District 3’s Small Theatre where the drama ‘Nostalgic Stream’ was staged. Both dramas were performed without electric lights or any other electrical equipment including microphones. The shows also marked World Theatre Day.
VNS
|
Page
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]
[11]
12
[13]
[14]
[15]
[16]
[17]
[18]
[19]
[20]
[21]
[22]
[23]
[24]
[25]
[26]
[27]
[28]
[29]
[30]
[31]
[32]
[33]
[34]
[35]
[36]
[37]
[38]
[39]
[40]
[41]
[42]
[43]
[44]
[45]
[46]
[47]
[48]
[49]
[50]
[51]
[52]
[53]
[54]
[55]
[56]
[57]
[58]
[59]
[60]
[61]
[62]
[63]
[64]
[65]
[66]
[67]
[68]
[69]
[70]
[71]
[72]
[73]
[74]
[75]
[76]
[77]
[78]
[79]
[80]
[81]
[82]
[83]
[84]
[85]
[86]
[87]
[88]
[89]
[90]
[91]
[92]
[93]
[94]
[95]
[96]
[97]
[98]
[99]
[100]
[101]
[102]
[103]
[104]
[105]
[106]
[107]
[108]
[109]
[110]
[111]
[112]
[113]
[114]
[115]
[116]
[117]
[118]
[119]
[120]
[121]
[122]
|
||||||||||
|
