Vietnam Trade Figures Show Improving Trend, HSBC, Moody's Say (Bloomberg)
Vietnam Trade Figures Show Improving Trend, HSBC, Moody's Say By Jason Folkmanis July 25 (Bloomberg) -- Vietnam's trade deficit, which has caused concerns this year about the stability of the nation's currency, is easing as import growth slows and exports accelerate, HSBC Holdings Plc and Moody's Economy.com said. The trade gap in the seven months through July reached $15 billion, up 2.4 times from a $6.3 billion shortfall in the year earlier, according to preliminary figures released yesterday by the General Statistics Office in Hanoi. The pace of widening was down from 2.7 times through June and from having more than tripled through May. The figures show a ``clearly improving trend,'' HSBC said, citing monthly deficits that have narrowed from as much as $3 billion earlier in 2008 to less than $1 billion. The ``encouraging'' numbers should help revive investor confidence and support sto...