On January, the first export consignment in 2010 from the DHA Group consisting of 51,000 shirts, left port for the US. The export consignment is valued at 250,000 dollar, kicking off the implementation of the company’s plan to obtain a total turnover of four million dollars and a 30 percent growth rate in 2010

At the Hanoi Trade Corporation (Hapro), the first consignment of the year worth 2.5 million dollar is about to leave for Japan. The corporation is preparing to build an 11-storey office building which will cover an area of 3,000 square meters on Cat Linh Street.

Deputy general director of Hapro Tran Manh Canh believes the corporation’s business will be better this year, especially following the implementation of a plan to revive traditional markets and conquer rural markets with the support of the “Buy Vietnamese Goods’ campaign.

Nguyen Van Do, general director of DHA Group, also said his group will push up investment and expand production in 2010. The group is planning to employ 500 more worker, while it also prepares to lease and set up new workshop premises in Luong Tai District in Bac Ninh.

However, Do, despite remaining optimistic about the national economy performance in 2010, thinks that 2010 will be just a little more profitable than 2009. Do believes the national economy will only be once more full recovered in 2011.

Like Do, many other businesses worry that high inflation may return this year, which will lead to higher lending interest rates. It would also mean higher production costs and heavier burdens on businesses.

Meanwhile, one manager of a business, who asked to be anonymous, said that while high lending interest rate would be a problem, he worries more about how he can adapt to policy changes.

“I remember high ranking officials affirming that the basic interest rate would not be lifted in 2009. But suddenly, the interest rate was raised to eight percent,” he said.

Phan Van Thien, deputy general director of Bibica, a confectionary producer, said difficulties his company face include price increases of raw materials. Besides, Thien said he remains concerned about dong/dollar fluctuations

Though Thien is worried about interest rates and exchange rate fluctuations, he still believes his company’s business will be good in 2010. Already the company has got received large orders from Cambodia, Cuba, Singapore and the Philippines. Thien said the first export consignment of 2010 will go to Cambodia.

“Bibica has anticipated difficulties and is ready to overcome the difficulties. We still expect a high growth rate of 30 percent this year,” he said.

In the finance sector, Tran Trung Tinh, deputy general director of BIDV Insurance Company (BIC) stressed stiff competition among insurers. However, he believes the finance market in general and insurance market in particular will have a year of higher growth. That explains why the company plans to launch a series of new products in 2010.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Trong Nghia, analysis director of Thang Long Securities Company, says what he fears most is - false rumors.

Whatever the experts say and whatever business and government plan for – false rumors could change everything overnight.

Source: VietNamNet/TBKTVN