Strike backs

Shares recover on the back of banking and energy stocks

February 26, 2021 by vietnamnews.vn

A customer at a branch of Military Bank (MBB). Shares of MBB rose 1.1 per cent on Thursday. Photo courtesy of MBB

HÀ NỘI — Shares bounced back on Thursday on the back of large-caps, banking and energy stocks.

The benchmark VN-Index on the Hồ Chí Minh Stock Exchange gained 0.29 per cent to close at 1,165.43 points.

It had lost 1.33 per cent to close Wednesday at 1,162.01 points.

More than 510.4 million shares were traded on the southern bourse, worth VNĐ13.5 trillion (US$589 million).

Market breadth was neutral with 220 gainers and 214 losers.

“The VN-Index is still in a consolidating span at the 1,160-1,200-point range,” said BIDV Securities Co.

“Liquidity declined compared to the previous session, market band was narrowed and market breadth was positive, showing that investor sentiment is stabilising.

“Foreigners continued to be net sellers on the HoSE while they were net buyers on the HNX.

“BSC recommends mid and long-term investors to open positions in some good fundamental stocks in this short-term consolidating span,” it said.

Foreign investors net sold VNĐ460.80 billion on HOSE, including dairy firm Vinamilk (VNM) (VNĐ233.40 billion), Vietnam National Petroleum Group (PLX) (VNĐ47.4 billion), and real estate company Khang Điền House (KDH) (VNĐ36.2 billion). They were net buyers on the HNX with the value of VNĐ10.44 billion.

The oil and gas sector index gained 2.4 per cent, becoming one of the best-performing sectors in Việt Nam on Thursday, data on vietstock.vn showed.

Vietnamese oil and gas stocks grew well, including PetroVietnam Gas JSC (GAS), Viet Nam National Petroleum Group (PLX), PetroVietnam Drilling & Well Services Corporation (PVD), PetroVietnam Power Corp (POW), and PetroVietnam Technical Services (PVS).

Besides the petroleum industry, financial stocks also performed well with the banking and industry indices rising 0.3 per cent and 0.3 per cent, with gainers including Vietcombank (VCB), Military Bank (MBB), HDBank (HDB), Bảo Việt Securities Co (BVS), MB Securities Co (MBS), Ho Chi Minh City Securities Corporation (HCM), Saigon-Hanoi Securities Co (SHS) and VNDirect Securities Co (VND).

The large-cap tracker VN30-Index gained 0.23 per cent to stay at 1,169.82 points.

Fourteen of the 30 large-cap stocks in the VN30 basket increased while thirteen lost ground.

On the Hà Nội Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index rallied 3.49 per cent to end Thursday at 246.20 points.

The northern market index had dropped 0.38 per cent to end Wednesday at 237.89 points.

More than 115.4 million shares were traded on the northern market, worth VNĐ1.9 trillion. — VNS

Int’l assistance important to Central African Republic issues: Ambassador

February 25, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

At the videoconference (Photo: VNA)

New York (VNA) – Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy , Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, on February 24 underscored the importance of international assistance in the conflict-affected Central African Republic at an UN Security Council (UNSC) videoconference, which discussed ongoing violence in the country.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix , UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, told the conference that the Central African Republic has continued to suffer from violence despite the announcement of the official result of the presidential election in December 2020.

Citing important progress in recent weeks in combating the armed coalition group known as Coalition des Patriotes pour le Changement, he said the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) is providing security to thousands of internally displaced persons, while also supporting efforts to safeguard the democratic order.

The Central African Republic has now become the most dangerous place for humanitarian work, with over 46 percent of worldwide incidents registered by international non-governmental organisations reported in the country.

In his speech, Quy said Vietnam backs the recent efforts of the UN as well as of regional and subregional organisations, including the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States, and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, to support the Central African Republic.

He took the occasion to urge all concerned parties to resolve differences in a peaceful manner. This effort towards political stability and reconciliation must go hand in hand with the promotion of trust and confidence, he noted.

Calling for the sides involved to respect the election results and handle differences through dialogues, representatives from other UNSC members stressed the importance of implementing the 2019 peace agreement between the local government and armed groups to facilitate long-term political measures.

They supported the efforts made by the African Union and the MINUSCA in the matter./.

VNA

COVID-19: Seven additional local infections recorded in Hai Duong

February 25, 2021 by vov.vn

Seven of the latest patients are in Hai Duong province, the epicentre of the nation’s most recent COVID-19 outbreak. Each of the individuals are F1 contacts that came into close contact with previously-confirmed COVID-19 patients.

The one remaining imported case is a 25-year-old woman who is being isolated to receive treatment at the General Hospital based in Tay Ninh province after her test result came back positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Following the detection of seven new cases, the number of locally-transmitted cases in Hai Duong, the nation’s largest COVID-19 hotspot, reached 643 since the virus was first detected in the country late last month.

Among the patients currently undergoing treatment, a total of 196 cases have since tested negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus at least once, with the majority recording negative results either two or three times.

Furthermore, both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s two major cities, are poised to allow schools to reopen from early March after recording no fresh COVID-19 cases in recent days.

Elsewhere, the northern province of Thanh Hoa recorded as many as 2,146 cases returning from Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, and other pandemic-hit localities, all of which are under health observation after testing negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

At present, the country has registered a total of 2,400 positive COVID-19 cases, including 1,520 community cases of the virus, 900 imported ones alongside 1,804 recoveries.

Hanoi’s recovered Covid-19 patient tests positive again

February 25, 2021 by english.thesaigontimes.vn

Hanoi’s recovered Covid-19 patient tests positive again

The Saigon Times

A quarantine facility in Hanoi. A 48-year-old Covid-19 patient in Hanoi who had recovered has tested positive again – PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – A 48-year-old Covid-19 patient from Hanoi who had recovered has tested positive again, according to the Hanoi Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The patient, who resides in the capital city’s Cau Giay District, will be taken to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases for another round of quarantine and treatment.

Earlier, the patient was being quarantined and treated at the hospital from January 30 to February 20. She was discharged on February 21 after having tested negative for the coronavirus three times.

On February 24, she had her samples collected for Covid-19 testing and the result came back positive.

Up to now, Vietnam has reported many recovered coronavirus patients testing positive again, but none of them caused community transmission after recovery.

US warships in South China Sea, Vietnam appeals for peace

February 25, 2021 by e.vnexpress.net

Vietnam hopes all countries will continue contributing positively to maintaining peace and stability on the basis of international law in the East Sea, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said at a press meet Thursday.

In Vietnam, the South China Sea is called the East Sea.

Hang said maintaining peace, stability, order, security, safety, freedom of navigation and overflight, obeying the law, respecting sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of countries along the East Sea in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) should be the common goal, interest, responsibility and aspiration of all concerned states as well as the international community.

“The activities of all countries in the East Sea need to contribute to this common goal. As a responsible member of the international community and a member of UNCLOS, Vietnam abides by the convention’s provisions, including regulations relating to maritime and aviation operations in the sea area that have been set up in accordance with the convention,” she added.

The destroyer USS John S. McCain on February 5 sailed near Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands in the East Sea in a freedom of navigation operation, marking the first such mission under President Joe Biden’s new administration.

On February 17, U.S. destroyer USS Russell conducted another freedom of navigation operation, sailing near Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands.

Washington has denounced what it calls Beijing’s attempts to bully neighbors with competing interests; and China has similarly denounced what it calls U.S. efforts to foment unrest in the region and interfere in what it regards as its internal affairs.

The recent actions suggest that the Biden administration is not about to scale back operations challenging Beijing’s claims after the ramp-up seen during the Trump administration, analysts have noted.

China seized the Paracel Islands from South Vietnam by force in 1974, and has been illegally occupying a number of reefs in the Spratly Islands since 1988.

Vietnam has repeatedly affirmed that it has full legal basis and historical evidence to assert its sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly islands in the South China Sea in accordance with international law.

Rai Cave – Pearl of Vinh Hy Bay

February 25, 2021 by en.nhandan.org.vn

Rai Cave is located in the south of Vinh Hy Bay, Nui Chua National Park, Vinh Hai commune, Ninh Hai district, Ninh Thuan province.

It is only about 35 km from Phan Rang city, about 40 km from Cam Ranh city (Khanh Hoa province) and about 90 km from Nha Trang city (Khanh Hoa), very convenient for visitors.

The road to Rai Cave is beautiful, winding between the magnificent blue sea and romantic green meadows.

According to local people, the reason it is called Rai Cave because it used to be inhabited by sea otters and many dipterocarpus alatus, which were used to extract oil to paint ships and boats to help make them more waterproof.

Coming to Rai Cave, tourists are captivated by the magical natural scenery. Just taking a photo at any angle produce a quality shot, for anyone. Rai Cave is not a large cave but in fact a rocky cliff protruding into the sea with many niches and compartments with strange shapes.

Enjoying the pictures full of a hauntingly eerie blend of moss and waves, you’ll have endless pleasure admiring this masterpiece of nature. The moss grows on the coral under the clear waters, looking from afar like giant green jade boulders.

Because of the geological tectonics millions of years ago, the ancient coral reefs have grown into a large area that tourists call “Mars”. At the bottom of the coral reef is an ancient coral block, about the same height as sea level. This is also one of the characteristics which attract many visitors to Rai Cave. When the waves hit the rocks, the water pours in, the slope of the rock makes the water flow back into the sea, creating a strange waterfall effect. Many people call this amazing phenomenon “the waterfall on the sea” and Rai cave is the only place to have this phenomenon.

Rai Cave at dawn or dusk can offer one of the most unique experiences.

Not long ago, a 300 m long wooden bridge through the steep cliffs was erected so that visitors can visit and admire the impressive panoramic beauty of Rai Cave.

If visitors want to “check-in” here gently, they just need to immerse themselves, place their bare feet on the white sand strip and dip their hands in the cool seawater to feel the freshness of nature.

In order to have a deeper experience at Rai Cave, guests can stay overnight to catch the most beautiful moments of this wonder, with coral diving or moon snail catching among the rocks.

Rai Cave is currently a destination serviced by many tour operators, combined with other attractive destinations along the same route such as Suoi Tien sheep field, Thai An vineyard and Vinh Hy bay, adding even more interesting tours and activities.