Sunday, January 23, 2011

City apartments sector heats up

HCM CITY — In the HCM City property market, the apartment segment saw both supply and demand rise in the third quarter, consultancy Savills Viet Nam said in a report.

The total primary supply of apartments for sale reached a record almost 16,600 units by the end of September, nearly three times the number from a year earlier.

Nearly 7,200 of them came into the market in the third quarter against 3,200 in the second and 2,900 in Q1.

The grade C segment saw the highest number of new projects, with the majority of them located in Tan Phu, Binh Chanh, and Binh Tan Districts.

The third quarter also saw the highest number of apartments sold in the primary market – at approximately 4,400 units, it was equal to total sales in the previous two quarter.

The majority of them, around 80 per cent, were grade C units.

Demand mainly came from the segment priced below US$1,000 per square metre. It recorded sales of nearly 3,300 units.

Rising demand for apartments was fuelled by increasing disposable incomes and growing migration to the city.

Migrants

In five years since 2004, around 1.6 million people have migrated to the south-eastern area of Viet Nam, with a million coming to HCM City alone.

Demand is expected to remain strong in the smaller-sized segment where apartments cost VND800 million-VND1.5 billion ($42,000 – $79,000).

A further 26 projects are expected to launch in the next two quarters and will offer around 10,000 units.

In the next two years 104,000 more apartments are expected to be built and put for sale.

There were approximately 2,950 serviced apartments in all grades from A to C for lease in the city.

The number of units rose by 6 per cent quarter on quarter.

In this, the market share of Districts 1 and 3 was 62 per cent. District 1 ranked first with 1,500 units.

With no new projects completed in Q3, the primary market remained unchanged at eight projects and approximately 800 units.

Almost 490 villas and houses were sold. The average price of villa land ranged from $1,500 to $2,500 per square metre.

Phu My Hung New Urban Area in District 7 accounted for 70 per cent of the villas and houses that came into the secondary market and had an average price of $600,000–$2.8 million. HCM City's population growth average 3.5 per cent a year, double the national rate.

The market is expected to add at least 9,500 villas and townhouses in the next few years. Many projects are in the planning stage or awaiting for licences.

Most are concentrated in outlying districts like 9, Can Gio, Binh Chanh, Binh Tan, and Hoc Mon.

District 9 ranks first in terms of total area and number of projects (11). — VNS

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Lifted import quota cools gold rush

HA NOI — Domestic gold prices yesterday plunged by VND1.2 million (US$61.53) from Thursday's record high to around VND31.85 million ($1,630) per tael, following the State Bank of Viet Nam's announcement late Thursday that it had approved additional gold imports. A tael is equal to 1.2 ounces.

Gold-selling districts in Ha Noi and HCM City saw prices change at least three times in the morning and early afternoon, with Saigon Jewelry Co, Sacombank Jewelry Co, Bao Tin Minh Chau, Agribank Jewelry Co and Phu Nhuaân Jewelry Co each quoting buy/sell prices at VND32.1-32.24 million per tael.

But late Thursday, with the domestic gold price VND1 million (around $50) higher than global prices, State Bank governor Nguyen Van Giau decided to allow 10 major gold trading enterprises to import an additional three tonnes of the precious metal over the course of the next week.

It marks the second time the central bank has allowed additional gold imports this year, allowing seven tonnes to be imported in July – a figure decried as too low.

"When people knew the gold import quota was so restrictive, many bought up gold," said Sacombank Jewelry Co general director Ton The Vinh Quyen.

But not everyone welcomed yesterday's move by the State Bank.

"Gold imports at this time may soak up the limited supply of dollars, while helping drive inflation up in the last two months of the year, when it is usually higher anyway before the lunar new year," said Do Thi The, a forex investor.

Similar concerns yesterday drove the cost of the greenback on the black market to VND19,850-19,880, about VND20 higher than on Thursday. However, bank exchange rates remained unchanged at VND19,470-19,500 per dollar, while the interbank rate continued at VND18,932.

The State Bank again yesterday denied rumours of a dollar shortage, saying that it continued buying up dollars from credit institutions in the third quarter, suggesting a plentiful dollar flow in circulation. However, yesterday's comments from the State Bank marked the third time since February it has issued a similar message to the public. — VNS

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Markets sort mixed economic signals

HCM CITY — Mixed macroeconomic signals and continued lateral movement of stock markets continued in September, but one of the most positive signs was estimated GDP growth of 7.16 per cent for the third quarter, according to a monthly review released by the company Viet Nam Asset Management yesterday.

The GDP rate during September contributed to the combined growth of the first nine months to 6.52 per cent.

The full-year GDP growth target was revised up to 6.7-6.8 per cent, given that the last quarter is usually the most robust period of economic activity.

For the first nine months, industrial production was up 13.8 per cent while retail sales revenue soared 25.4 per cent compared to the same period last year.

While economic growth is edging up, inflation and exchange rates are likely to become issues in the last three months of the year.

The September consumer price index (CPI) came in at 1.31 per cent month-on-month and 8.92 per cent year-on-year.

This was the first month-on-month increase of over 1 per cent since this February.

The sharp acceleration was driven by higher prices of foods, construction materials, gas and education fees, with the latter caused by a seasonal effect.

The exchange rate is another concern, as the unofficial rate, after months of converging with the official rate, suddenly heated up in September, trading at 1 per cent above the upper limit of the official trading band.

The recent fluctuation of the exchange rate in the unofficial market was primarily attributed to strong increases in gold prices in the last two months, accelerating inflation and widening the trade deficit.

The mix of a record-high gold price, an unexpected rise in September's CPI, and the divergence of official and unofficial exchange rates has once again sparked fears of inflation and further devaluation toward the year-end.

The securities market continued its prolonged lateral movement when the VN-Index closed the month at 454.52, almost flat against September.

The report suggests that despite the potential catalyst from corporate earnings in the third quarter, investors will likely remain cautious in October because of a stocks oversupply and mixed macroeconomic signals.

"We are still upholding our long-term interest in the consumer, IT, telecom and pharmaceutical sectors. For short-term seasonal play, we are closely watching natural rubber and some high-dividend defensive stocks. Overall, we strongly advise investors to look closely at individual firm's performances rather than choosing a specific industry," the report said. — VNS

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Infrastructure projects seek investors

Vietnam is calling for infrastructure investment under the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model as funds from the State budget, Government bonds and ODA (Official Development Assistance) capital are insufficient to meet demand.

Dang Huy Dong, deputy minister of Planning and Investment, said Vietnam hoped to cooperate with Italian businesses to attract capital and exchange work experiences in infrastructure improvement.

Dong spoke at a conference on Vietnam's infrastructure development held in Ha Noi this week by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, in collaboration with the Italian Trade Commission and the Transport Ministry.

The Italian ambassador to Vietnam, Andrea Peregini, said his country had used the PPP model for several projects that were expected to be profitable in the future.

"Italian businesses are interested in highway projects in Vietnam because similar projects under the PPP model in Italy had been successful," he added.

Marco Saladini, Italian trade commissioner in Vietnam, said more than 5,000 kilometres of highway in Italy were built mainly under the PPP model by large European companies.

Apart from highway projects, Italy has used the PPP model for underground parks as well as electricity and transport-management projects.

Saladini said the Vietnamese Government had implemented an online auction for projects that was more transparent than in the past, creating a more favourable climate for investors.

He added that Italian businesses were committed to creating jobs for local workers at their projects in Vietnam.

In the 2006-10 period, investment capital for infrastructure development was about VND140 billion (US$28 billion) per year.

However, the need for transport, energy and environmental projects has not yet been met.

Dong said infrastructure improvement was the top priority for Vietnam because of increased development.

Vietnam needs to have 3,000-5,000km of highway, 300-400km of metro, and dozens of seaports in the next 10 years.

To meet the demand, Vietnam needs to attract billions of US dollars to develop infrastructure in the next five to 10 years.

To meet the demand, Vietnam needs to attract billions of dollars to develop infrastructure in the next five to 10 years.

Vietnam has used the PPP model to attract more private and foreign-direct invested capital for its projects, including the Ninh Binh-Thanh Hoa Highway and Dau Giay-Phan Thiet Highway. The two highways are expected to be completed by 2014.

Other projects using the PPP model include Highway No.1 Upgrade Project, Ha Noi-Lao Cai Railway, and Phnom Penh-HCMC Highway, according to the Ministry of Transport.

In the near future, Vietnam will call for more PPP and FDI capital for transport projects, such as Da Nang-Quang Ngai, My Thuan-Can Tho, Noi Bai-Ha Long, Dau Giay-Da Lat, Ben Luc-Long Thanh, the international port in Hai Phong and HCMC-Can Tho Highway.

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Seminar seeks ways to better ODA

Vietnam needs to improve legal frameworks and institutions in its efforts to better the use of official development assistance (ODA), said an expert.

Head of an independent evaluation delegation Marcus Cox put forth the suggestion at a seminar which was held in Hanoi Friday to get feedback about a draft report on the performance of the Paris Declaration and Hanoi Core Statement on Aid Effectiveness.

Cox recommended Vietnam build the capacity of sector-level managers and utilise more objective assessment tools.

The draft report pointed out the fact that Vietnam ’s national development programme and its rapid growth have not relied on ODA aid capital, but the nation is still facing a lot of challenges in terms of institutions, making plans and decentralisation of power in ODA management.

A number of delegates said the report should give out specific figures and more detailed analyses of new aid methods, refundable and non-refundable aid.

Meanwhile, a representative from the National Assembly Office emphasised the necessity to enhance technical management rather than administrative measures, saying it is one of the most effective way to manage ODA.

The workshop was co-hosted by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Aid Effectiveness Forum (AEF).

Vietnam is one of 24 countries worldwide participating in the 2 nd phase of evaluation on the implementation of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness.

 

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Savills predicts good future for HCMC property market

Savills predicts good future for HCMC property marketHo Chi Minh City’s property market has bright prospects ahead as demand for apartments and business space will grow alongside the economy, UK-based real estate service provider Savills said on Thursday.

The company both evaluates and trades in the market.

A positive demand trend remains in the city’s apartment segment, “fueled by increasing disposable income and growing migration,” Savills found in its quarterly report. During the 2004 to 2009 period, approximately one million people moved to HCMC.

The company forecast that apartment demand will be strong in the smaller-sized and reasonably priced (US$42,000- 79,000) apartment segment.

Savills said the third quarter witnessed the highest number of apartments absorbed into the primary market, at approximately 4,400 units, equal to total absorption over the first six months of the year. Supply also surged, reaching a record of approximately 16,600 units – nearly triple last year’s figure.

HCMC will see the construction of 10,000 new units in the next two quarters, the company said.

The city’s economy expanded by 11.2 percent in the first nine months with a gross domestic product of around $16 billion, official statistics showed.

Savills said in the mid and long-term, the economy is expected to continue growing rapidly. For this reason, demand for office space will also rise.

“Grade A office buildings are waiting for a new wave of foreign direct investment inflow; while Grade B and Grade C buildings depend much on the health of domestic investment,” according to the report.

By the end of 2010, 14 new office buildings will be completed and will add approximately 100,000 square meters net area to the market.

As for the retail segment, Savills observed that both occupancy and rental rates tended to decrease during the third quarter. Average occupancy fell around 2 percent compared to the previous quarter, to 94 percent. The average rent was $75.2 per square meter per month.

“Along with the rapidly growing economy of HCMC, the demand for daily products has been growing substantially as well as diversifying,” the report said. “This leads to a high demand for retail centres of a big population in HCMC.”

Savills said the retail market has strong potential in the mid-term as Vietnamese consumers are beginning to gravitate towards luxury brands, international franchises and domestic goods of high quality.

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Savills predicts good future for HCMC property market

Savills predicts good future for HCMC property marketHo Chi Minh City’s property market has bright prospects ahead as demand for apartments and business space will grow alongside the economy, UK-based real estate service provider Savills said on Thursday.

The company both evaluates and trades in the market.

A positive demand trend remains in the city’s apartment segment, “fueled by increasing disposable income and growing migration,” Savills found in its quarterly report. During the 2004 to 2009 period, approximately one million people moved to HCMC.

The company forecast that apartment demand will be strong in the smaller-sized and reasonably priced (US$42,000- 79,000) apartment segment.

Savills said the third quarter witnessed the highest number of apartments absorbed into the primary market, at approximately 4,400 units, equal to total absorption over the first six months of the year. Supply also surged, reaching a record of approximately 16,600 units – nearly triple last year’s figure.

HCMC will see the construction of 10,000 new units in the next two quarters, the company said.

The city’s economy expanded by 11.2 percent in the first nine months with a gross domestic product of around $16 billion, official statistics showed.

Savills said in the mid and long-term, the economy is expected to continue growing rapidly. For this reason, demand for office space will also rise.

“Grade A office buildings are waiting for a new wave of foreign direct investment inflow; while Grade B and Grade C buildings depend much on the health of domestic investment,” according to the report.

By the end of 2010, 14 new office buildings will be completed and will add approximately 100,000 square meters net area to the market.

As for the retail segment, Savills observed that both occupancy and rental rates tended to decrease during the third quarter. Average occupancy fell around 2 percent compared to the previous quarter, to 94 percent. The average rent was $75.2 per square meter per month.

“Along with the rapidly growing economy of HCMC, the demand for daily products has been growing substantially as well as diversifying,” the report said. “This leads to a high demand for retail centres of a big population in HCMC.”

Savills said the retail market has strong potential in the mid-term as Vietnamese consumers are beginning to gravitate towards luxury brands, international franchises and domestic goods of high quality.

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