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Intelligence for Better Decision Making
| Domain | Causal Chain | Possible Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Households | (House-price-to-income ratio ↑ → Housing cost-to-income burden ↑ → Household loan-delinquency rate ↑ → Precautionary savings gap ↑) | Widening precautionary savings gaps cut discretionary spending and dampen consumption growth. |
| Households | (Household debt-service ratio ↑ → Household loan-delinquency rate ↑ → Consumer confidence diffusion index ↓ → Private consumption growth volatility ↑) | Increased consumption volatility complicates macroeconomic management and undermines stable growth. |
| Financial System | (Credit-to-GDP gap ↑ → Financial-conditions index ↓ → Housing-market crash probability ↑ → Shadow-bank default cascades ↑) | Heightened crash risk could trigger widespread defaults in shadow banks and amplify financial instability. |
| Governance & Law | (Policy-implementation speed ↓ → Public-investment execution ratio ↓ → Infrastructure-quality index ↓ → Urban productivity premium ↓) | Slower policy execution and poorer infrastructure depress urban productivity and competitiveness. |
| Infrastructure & Urbanization | (Construction-permit issuance time ↑ → Housing-affordability index ↓ → Informal-settlement growth rate ↑ → Informal-settlement population share ↑) | Delays in permits fuel informal settlements, straining municipal services and exacerbating urban inequality. |
| Firms | (Market concentration trend ↑ → SME loan-rejection rate ↑ → Business-formation rate ↓ → Employment growth in the business sector ↓) | Tighter SME lending and lower start-ups slow job creation and hinder inclusive business-sector growth. |
| Macroeconomics & Growth | (Credit impulse (% GDP) ↑ → Asset-price wealth effect ↑ → Private consumption growth volatility ↑ → Output gap (% GDP) ↓) | Consumption swings widen the output gap, complicating policy efforts to stabilize growth. |
| Households | (Housing cost-to-income burden ↑ → Income-volatility (monthly) ↑ → Social-trust composite swing ↓ → Residential protest vandalism rate ↑) | Rising housing stress erodes social trust and can spur protest-related vandalism. |
| Politics | (Policy-uncertainty index deviation ↑ → FDI net inflow (% GDP) ↓ → Business fixed-investment growth deviation ↓ → Potential GDP growth revision ↓) | Heightened policy uncertainty reduces FDI and business investment, prompting downward revisions to potential GDP growth. |
| Financial System | (Asset-price valuation metrics ↓ → Housing-market crash probability ↓ → Financial-conditions index ↑ → Credit-availability index (SME loan approval) ↑) | Valuation corrections ease crash risk, improving conditions and boosting SME credit availability. |
Erudite Risk takes an all risks approach to intelligence reporting. We categorize key intelligence into one of 40 different risk intelligence categories.
The goal is to provide intelligence that allows decision makers to avoid being blindsided by what they may have missed, while informing them to make better decisions as well.
Erudite Risk also includes operations categories so you can monitor the environment for better decision making. Everything is tied together--what happens in risk affects operations and what happens in the market impacts risk profiles.
We categorize key intelligence into one of 30 different operations intelligence categories.
Different roles and functions within the organization can monitor different key issue areas. HR may monitor employment, wages, regulations, labor and management relations, etc., while P&L leaders may monitor overall developing trends.
Thủ tướng chủ trì Phiên họp Ban Chỉ đạo thực hiện cam kết tại COP26
Prime Minister chairs the Steering Committee meeting on implementing commitments at COP26
Bao Dien Tu | Local Language | News | Jan. 16, 2026 | Climate Change
On January 15, 2026, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chaired the Steering Committee meeting to review and advance Vietnam’s implementation of its COP26 climate commitments. The meeting highlighted the severe impact of climate change on Vietnam, citing 21 storms in 2025 that caused 420 deaths, 730 injuries, and economic damage of approximately VND 100 trillion. The Prime Minister emphasized the urgent need for effective adaptation solutions and reiterated that green transition, energy transition, and emissions reductions in key sectors such as energy, agriculture, and transport are strategic priorities for sustainable development.
Significant progress has been made across ministries and sectors. Vietnam has enhanced policy and legal frameworks, participated actively in international climate forums, attracted over USD 1 billion for energy transition, and mobilized VND 750 trillion in green credit. Renewable energy development and green technology initiatives have accelerated, evidenced by the dramatic increase in electric vehicles and green building projects. Notable efforts include the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment's work on carbon credit frameworks, the Ministry of Construction’s promotion of green urban transport infrastructure, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s diversification of energy sources and participation in global renewable energy alliances.
Despite achievements, the Prime Minister acknowledged challenges such as slow legal transposition of international commitments, limited effectiveness in some projects under the JETP and AZEC frameworks, and varying levels of engagement from ministries, sectors, and localities. Lessons learned call for flexible adaptation, unified effort, open institutions, and a balanced use of internal and external resources. The government aims to internalize climate adaptation and net-zero goals as national missions, emphasizing the role of people and businesses as key actors.
The Prime Minister outlined five core task groups for the coming period: institutional development aligned with international standards; mechanisms for mobilizing green finance; technology transfer and innovation support; governance models promoting smart, green development; and human resource training for green growth. Specific directives include piloting greenhouse gas emission quota allocation, accelerating the domestic carbon market and carbon credit exchange, greening transportation, advancing renewable energy, expanding green finance, enhancing disaster forecasting using AI, strengthening international climate negotiations, and supporting enterprises in adapting to green standards, including compliance with the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Ministries and agencies were assigned responsibilities to ensure coordinated, comprehensive implementation of these priorities toward achieving Vietnam’s net-zero emissions target by 2050.
Establishing a science and technology research center in Vietnam: 05 key considerations from early 2026
BLawyers Vietnam | English | AcademicThink | Jan. 16, 2026 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption
Law No. 93/2025/QH15 on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI Law) came into effect on October 1, 2025, establishing a comprehensive legal framework for scientific research, technology development, and innovation in Vietnam. This law aims to attract high-quality investment, particularly research and development (R&D) projects by both domestic and foreign enterprises. Foreign-invested enterprises (FDIs) are increasingly interested in establishing science and technology research centers, especially in high-tech sectors like cybersecurity, AI, big data, semiconductors, and software development. Proper selection of the legal structure and understanding regulatory procedures are crucial to mitigate legal risks and maximize access to incentives and support.
The STI Law introduces a “Science and Technology Organization” model specifically for R&D centers, distinct from conventional commercial enterprises. This model allows proper legal characterization of R&D activities based on autonomy and results-based evaluation principles. Operating as a science and technology organization ensures compliance and provides a more stable legal foundation, while operating R&D activities as regular commercial enterprises may increase legal risks related to investment, tax, and regulatory oversight.
FDI enterprises can establish science and technology organizations in various forms such as research institutes, centers, laboratories, or specialized R&D centers. To operate lawfully, organizations must have charters and objectives aligned with Vietnamese law, qualified scientific personnel, adequate infrastructure, and compliance with national defense and development requirements. Authorities assess substantive research capacity during establishment reviews rather than mere formal compliance.
After lawful establishment and stable operation, foreign-invested organizations can apply for official recognition as R&D centers. Recognition confirms their research capabilities and grants access to state incentives, including tax benefits, land use priority, financing, and research collaboration opportunities. This recognition is generally pursued after demonstrating long-term research and development capacity.
The STI Law provides various incentive and support mechanisms to encourage R&D activities, especially in high-tech and strategic fields. Benefits include tax incentives, priority land and infrastructure access in specialized economic zones, use of shared facilities, support for communication and trade promotion, research infrastructure support, and talent attraction policies. These incentives depend on operational compliance and applicable policy frameworks.
Enterprises should be aware of practical risks, such as distinguishing science and technology organizations from commercial enterprises for correct licensing, aligning project documentation with STI Law objectives, and complying with regulations on foreign personnel, intellectual property, information security, and technology transfer, especially in sensitive sectors like cybersecurity. Early assessment of eligibility for R&D center recognition is advised to facilitate access to incentives.
BLawyers Vietnam offers legal support in advising on appropriate legal models under the STI Law, assisting with establishment conditions and procedures for foreign-invested science and technology organizations, facilitating recognition applications, and advising on related legal matters including investment, labor, technology, and intellectual property compliance.
Đổi mới toàn diện công tác sát hạch và cấp Giấy phép lái xe
Comprehensive Reform of the Examination and Issuance of Driver's Licenses
Bao Dien Tu | Local Language | News | Jan. 16, 2026 | Regulation
The Government Office issued Notice No. 26/TB-VPCP on January 14, 2025, summarizing Vietnam's traffic safety outcomes in 2025 and establishing targets for 2026. Despite challenges such as extreme weather and administrative reforms, traffic accidents decreased significantly in 2025, with incidents down over 22%, deaths over 6%, and injuries nearly 30% compared to 2024. Improvements included a stronger legal framework, enhanced law enforcement, and progress in transport infrastructure projects like the North-South Eastern expressways and the Lào Cai - Hà Nội - Hải Phòng railway. However, serious accidents involving commercial vehicles, motorbikes, and students remain prevalent, with ongoing issues in rural areas and urban congestion in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
For 2026, the government aims to halve traffic accidents, deaths, and injuries per 100,000 population, with even higher targets of 60-70% reductions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Emphasis is placed on addressing serious accidents, urban congestion, environmental impacts through "Green Transport," and better law enforcement using technology such as cameras and vehicle tracking. The Ministry of Public Security will focus on reforming driver’s license testing to ensure legal knowledge and practical driving skills, strict enforcement of blood alcohol limits, and expansion of traffic safety education, especially for students. Ministries and local authorities are to integrate traffic safety into planning and development, complete legal frameworks, and improve data-sharing systems for enforcement.
The Ministry of Construction is tasked with removing illegal crossings, managing railway safety corridors, coordinating funding for infrastructure, and promoting lane separation between cars and motorcycles. It will also accelerate development of rail, waterway, and aviation transport to ease road traffic, while improving standards for passenger vessels and rest stops, and expanding parking infrastructure in major cities. The Ministry of Health will strengthen first-aid capacities at grassroots levels and develop digital tools for accident reporting. Education authorities will incorporate traffic law education into curricula, certify electric vehicle operation skills for students, and clarify responsibilities for school and family oversight of student drivers.
Local governments, especially in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, must treat traffic safety as a continuous political priority, completing removal of high-risk spots and unauthorized railway crossings by the end of 2026. Both cities will finalize Safe City Schemes targeting green, modern, clean, and safe urban environments, focusing on infrastructure issues and environmental pollution control from vehicles and construction waste transport. Performance in traffic safety will be a key metric in evaluating local leadership, and strict measures will be taken against officials if conditions worsen in their areas of responsibility.
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