The dispatch is sent to the chief justice of the Supreme People’s Court; the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People’s Procuracy; ministers and heads of ministerial-level agencies; secretaries of provincial and municipal Party committees, and chairpersons of people’s committees of provinces and centrally governed cities; and the chief of the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee against Smuggling, Trade Fraud, and Counterfeit Goods.

According to the dispatch, in recent years, efforts to combat, prevent, and address infringements of intellectual property (IP) rights have recorded notable progress. Competent authorities have carried out synchronised and effective measures, detecting and handling numerous cases, thereby contributing to curbing violations.

“However, IP infringement remains complex in several sectors and localities, significantly affecting the investment and business climate, as well as the legitimate rights and interests of citizens, enterprises, and related organisations,” said Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung who signed the dispatch.

In order to create a strong shift and enhance the substantive effectiveness of IP enforcement - thereby fostering a transparent and healthy investment climate and strengthening national credibility in international integration, the prime minister requires ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, and chairpersons of provincial and municipal people’s committees, and requests secretaries of Party committees at all levels, to strictly, synchronously, and decisively implement relevant legal regulations, the government’s Resolution No.397/NQ-CP dated December 5, 2025, and the PM’s Directive No.02/CT-TTg dated January 30 on strengthening IP enforcement.

A key priority must be placed on a nationwide crackdown with no exceptions. Specifically, from May 7-30, authorities are to launch an intensive nationwide campaign, mobilising resources to urgently deployed measures against IP infringements. Violations must be handled strictly in accordance with the law, under the principle of “no forbidden zones, no exceptions”.

The Ministry of Public Security is tasked with leading investigations into serious IP infringement cases, including copyright, related rights, trademarks, and geographical indications. Particular focus must be placed on dismantling high-traffic websites engaged in online copyright violations, especially those distributing pirated films, music, mobile games, and television programmes in Vietnamese and foreign languages.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defence is assigned to direct border guards, coast guard forces, and relevant units to coordinate closely with the Ministry of Public Security and local authorities in enforcing anti-infringement measures.

Judicial bodies, including the Supreme People’s Procuracy and Supreme People’s Court, are required to accelerate prosecution and adjudication of IP cases, ensuring strict, deterrent, and lawful rulings, with emphasis on handling exemplary cases.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism must immediately conduct inspections on compliance with software copyright regulations in enterprises, as well as copyright enforcement for films, music, television programmes, and online games. Authorities are required to increase the number of handled cases by at least 20 per cent compared to May 2025, while strengthening public awareness campaigns through media channels.

In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, together with provincial and municipal authorities, has to direct market surveillance forces to intensify inspections and strictly address violations, particularly counterfeit trademark goods, with a similar 20 per cent increase target.

The Ministry of Finance is tasked with instructing customs authorities to tighten inspection of import-export goods, proactively suspending clearance for shipments with clear signs of IP infringement, again aiming for a minimum 20 per cent rise in enforcement actions.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is requested to coordinate with relevant agencies to promptly provide international partners with comprehensive updates on Vietnam’s IP enforcement efforts.

All ministries and localities are required to carry out daily rapid reporting on major and complex cases, submitting updates to the Ministry of Science and Technology for consolidation and reporting to the prime minister on a weekly basis or upon request. A final report covering results up to May 30 must be submitted by May 31.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Science and Technology is asked to take the lead in implementing assigned tasks under Official Dispatch No.1860/VPCP-KTTH dated May 1, providing expert opinions and assessment conclusions to support enforcement of industrial property rights.

Following the campaign period, ministries, agencies, and localities are required to review and evaluate outcomes, and continue enhancing enforcement measures to ensure IP protection becomes a regular, systematic, and effective task nationwide.

The National Steering Committee against Smuggling, Trade Fraud, and Counterfeit Goods is tasked with intensifying inter-agency coordination, supervision, and guidance, promptly addressing bottlenecks and handling major, complex cases within its authority.

At the local level, Party committee secretaries have to mobilise the entire political system to actively engage in IP enforcement. Chairpersons of provincial and municipal people’s committees must urgently establish inter-agency task forces led by themselves, ensuring close coordination among local authorities and effective implementation of assigned duties, while promptly reporting issues beyond their competence.

The government’s fresh move demonstrates its strong determination to deliver a tangible shift in IP enforcement, aligning Vietnam’s regulatory framework with international standards and reinforcing investor confidence. With a coordinated, high-intensity approach and clear accountability across agencies, the campaign is expected to mark a critical step towards safeguarding innovation, protecting legitimate rights, and sustaining a fair business environment.

In 2025, it reported after-tax profit of approximately $172,000, while retained earnings reached more than $3.1 million by year-end. With around 8.6 million shares outstanding, the company is expected to disburse roughly $3.1 million in this dividend round.

This marks the highest dividend payout since the maritime transport company began operations.

With a projected payout ratio of 39 per cent, Petroleum Mechanical also ranks among the top cash dividend payers for 2025. Shareholders will receive 15.6 US cents per share, with payment scheduled for May 15.

The company has maintained a consistent cash dividend policy for nearly two decades since 2005. Notably, the 39 per cent payout for 2025 represents a record high, surpassing its previous peak of 33 per cent in 2016.

With more than 7.2 million shares outstanding, total payout is estimated at $1.12 million.

Among other notable cash dividend payers, Western-Saigon Beer plans to issue its second 2025 cash dividend at 12 US cents per share. The firm is a subsidiary of Sabeco, which has completed its acquisition to secure a controlling stake.

In 2025, Western-Saigon recorded revenue of approximately $38.5 million, largely unchanged on-year. However, through cost optimisation and operational efficiency, after-tax profit rose 18 per cent to around $3.92 million, supporting a stable and relatively high dividend policy.

The company plans to maintain a 50 per cent dividend payout in 2026.

Several other companies will also distribute cash dividends, albeit at lower levels. For instance, Manufacturing and Materials Equipment Trading will pay a 16 per cent dividend, equivalent to 0.64 US cents per share on May 8. On the same day, shareholders of Thac Ba Hydropower will receive 0.4 US cents per share.

Also on May 8, Mien Trung Power Investment and Development will distribute a combined dividend of 0.52 US cents per share, including a 3 per cent payout for 2025 and a 10 per cent advance for 2026.

Meanwhile, Pharmedic Pharmaceutical Medicinal will pay a cash dividend of 0.56 US cents per share, with payment expected shortly after the holiday period on May 6.

Several other companies have already finalised record dates in April for share-based dividends, with payments set to follow in May. The wave of dividend distributions highlights significant variation in payout levels, alongside broad sector representation among companies rewarding shareholders.

Generous dividend plans warm investor sentiment Following a period of steep decline and modest recovery, shareholders of Tien Phong Commercial Joint Stock Bank (TPBank) were buoyed by a gain of just under 5 per cent on the share price during the May 12 trading session.

Banks resume cash dividends as financial health rebounds Several banks have resumed cash dividend payments, signalling a rebound in financial health after years of restrictions, with total disbursements reaching nearly $1.7 billion so far this year.

Insurance shareholders push for higher dividends in 2026 Insurance investors are pressing for higher dividends in 2026, even as rising claims and market volatility challenge companies’ ability to sustain generous payouts.

The acquisition represents an important step in Kredivo's regional expansion strategy, deepening its presence in Vietnam and accelerating the group's ambition to cement its position as the region's preeminent digital financial services platform, spanning both digital consumer credit and digital banking.

Founded in 2015, Timo is Vietnam's first digital banking platform, serving a rapidly expanding base of digitally native customers with a suite of retail banking services.

Phoenix Holdings and Vina Capital, Timo's strategic shareholders prior to Kredivo's acquisition, will retain a significant minority stake in the enlarged Kredivo Vietnam business, which now includes Timo.

Henry Nguyen, chairman of Phoenix Holdings, Don Lam, CEO and founding partner of VinaCapital, and Brook Taylor, CEO of the asset management arm of VinaCapital, will join the board of Kredivo Vietnam.

Minister of Finance Ngo Van Tuan at the government meeting

According to the National Statistics Office, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) climbed to 5.46 per cent in April on an on-year basis, accelerating sharply from the 4.65 per cent recorded in March and approaching the 5.5 per cent worst-case scenario the Ministry of Finance (MoF) presented on April 23.

The primary driver is cost-push pressure from global crude oil prices, which have surged since March amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

“These global disruptions have not only inflated energy costs but also caused a surge in international logistics and transportation expenses, creating a cascade effect across various domestic sectors including transport services, food, and construction materials,” Minister Tuan said.

These categories account for over half of the CPI basket and recorded the sharpest rises in the first four months of 2026, with the food category up 5.2 per cent on-year and transportation climbing 11.1 per cent in April.

The government is now bracing for additional domestic price pressures, including increased electricity demand during the peak summer heat and scheduled adjustments to state-managed service fees.

Healthcare service prices are projected to rise by approximately 8.9 per cent, driven by the inclusion of management costs and a significant hike in medical staff allowances.

This adjustment alone is estimated to add around 0.28 percentage points to the national CPI. In the education sector, tuition caps for the 2026-2027 academic year are slated for an average rise of 12.7 per cent for public universities and 18 per cent for public vocational training institutions.

To mitigate these pressures, the MoF has called for a coordinated response between ministries, urging the Ministry of Industry and Trade to ensure a stable domestic energy supply through continued management of the Fuel Price Stabilisation Fund, while the Ministry of Construction provides clear guidance on adjusting construction contracts to account for material price volatility.

Each ministry is required to maintain strict market surveillance to prevent speculative hoarding and unreasonable price hikes, particularly in essential commodities such as rice, pork, and construction supplies, while localities instructed to implement market stabilisation programmes suited to their specific economic conditions.

On the growth front, the government is focusing on public investment as a key engine to achieve high growth in 2026.

Total social investment Q1 reached $29.8 billion, a 10.7 per cent rise on-year. Foreign direct investment (FDI) remains a bright spot, with registered capital in the first four months of the year estimated at $18.2 billion, a 32 per cent increase on-year, while implemented FDI rose by 9.8 per cent to $7.4 billion.

Issues persist in the deployment of state capital, however, with approximately $1.85 billion of the 2026 investment plan remaining unallocated across 14 ministries and 17 localities as of late April.

Minister Tuan mandated that these entities expedite their allocation processes and finalise regional mining plans by Q2 of this year to ensure an adequate supply of raw materials for key infrastructure projects.

As part of its forward-looking strategy, the MoF has asked all government agencies and local authorities to submit revised growth indicators this week to facilitate a comprehensive report to the central government on achieving targets for the 2026-2030 cycle.

MoF honing draft amending tax laws On April 20, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly met to discuss amending the Law on Personal Income Tax, the Law on VAT, the Law on Corporate Income Tax, and the Law on Special Consumption Tax.

Vietnam nears investment grade as reforms and growth strengthen outlook Vietnam’s sovereign credit ratings are now approaching investment grade, standing just one notch below the threshold under S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings, and two notches below under Moody’s, bringing the country closer to its target of achieving investment-grade status.

ASEAN+3 policymakers assess energy and supply chain disruptions On April 28, the ASEAN+3 Policy Dialogue and Regional Economic Review was held virtually, co-chaired by the Philippines and Japan. Tran Quoc Phuong, Deputy Minister of Finance, attended and delivered remarks from Vietnam.

“Energy and digital access will define the region’s future,” said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) president Masato Kanda. “These two initiatives build the systems Asia-Pacific need to grow, compete, and connect. By linking power grids and digital networks across borders, we can lower costs, expand opportunity, and bring reliable power and digital access to hundreds of millions of people.”

The Pan-Asia Power Grid Initiative will connect national and subregional power systems so renewable energy can flow across borders, while the Asia-Pacific Digital Highway will help close the digital infrastructure gap and enable the region to benefit from AI-driven growth.

Under the Pan-Asia Power Grid Initiative, ADB will work with governments, utilities, the private sector, and development partners to mobilise $50 billion by 2035 for cross-border power infrastructure that can unlock renewable energy at scale.

The initiative will focus on transmission and grid integration, including cross-border lines, substations, storage, and grid digitalisation. It will also support power generation linked to electricity trade, including renewable energy export projects, regional renewable hubs, and hybrid generation-storage facilities.

By 2035, ADB aims to integrate around 20 gigawatts of cross-border renewable energy, connect 22,000 circuit-kilometres of transmission lines, improve energy access for 200 million people, create 840,000 jobs, and reduce regional power sector emissions by 15 per cent.

ADB plans to finance around half of the $50 billion initiative from its own resources, with the remainder expected from cofinancing sources, including the private sector. Up to $10 million in technical assistance will support regulatory alignment, common technical standards, feasibility studies, and other preparatory work for major projects.

The Pan-Asia Power Grid Initiative marks a shift from bilateral energy links to a more integrated regional power trade approach. It builds on existing subregional cooperation frameworks, including the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation programme, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation grid interconnection plan, the ASEAN Power Grid, and the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Energy Strategy 2030.

The Asia-Pacific Digital Highway will mobilise $20 billion by 2035 to finance digital corridors, data infrastructure, and AI-ready economies. Investments will focus on connected infrastructure, including terrestrial and subsea fibre networks, satellite links and regional data centres.

The ADB will also provide policy and regulatory support, including on cybersecurity risk management, and invest in skills programmes to strengthen digital and AI readiness.

By 2035, the initiative aims to provide first-time broadband access to 200 million people and faster, more reliable digital connectivity for another 450 million people across the region. It is expected to cut connectivity costs in remote and landlocked areas by about 40 per cent and help create 4 million jobs.

ADB expects to finance $15 billion of the $20 billion initiative from its own resources and raise $5 billion through co-financing, including from the private sector. The Centre for AI Innovation and Development will be established in Seoul to support the initiative. Backed by a $20 million contribution from the government of the Republic of Korea, the centre will encourage responsible and inclusive AI adoption and help train about 3 million people in digital and AI-related skills by 2035.

ADB, WB pledge over 12 billion USD for ASEAN power grid, renewable energy projects The APGF is designed to provide financial backing for the ASEAN Power Grid (APG), a flagship initiative under the upcoming ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation 2026–2030. The APG aims to interconnect national grids to improve energy security, diversify supply sources, optimise resource use, and foster cross-border electricity trade in the region.

Vietnam’s growth resilient amid global challenges Vietnam’s economy is forecast to grow by 7.2 per cent in 2026 and 7 per cent in 2027, from 8 per cent in 2025, despite rising external risks amid heightened global uncertainty, according to a new report released today by the Asian Development Bank on April 10.

ADB unveils support package for members hit by Middle East crisis The Asian Development Bank has announced a financial support package to help member countries mitigate economic impacts from the Middle East conflict.

These devices will help serve training and research activities in Vietnam’s semiconductors sector, with students gaining hands-on experience with specialised equipment. The initiative also helps narrow the gap between academic knowledge and industry practice, especially in chip packaging and testing.

The project is part of the partnership signed between Intel and SHTP. It will support SHTP and Vietnam National University Hanoi to build comprehensive semiconductor training capabilities, ranging from design to assembly and testing. It also opens up applied learning and research spaces for Vietnamese engineer workforce.

According to Intel, the project will optimise existing resources, easing the burden of public investment in expensive training infrastructure. It will also speed up the readiness of training facilities while creating conditions for engineers to upgrade their skills.

“Vietnam is emerging as an important link in the global semiconductor supply chain. It is a top priority to develop the workforce," said Kenneth Tse, vice president and general director of Intel Products Vietnam.

He expressed hope that the provision of equipment would empower educational institutions to implement hands-on training programmes closely aligned with industry needs. “The project will accelerate workforce readiness to realise Vietnam’s long-term semiconductor development ambitions,” Tse added.

Vietnam now has around 7,000 chip design engineers, more than 6,000 engineers and over 10,000 technicians working in semiconductor packaging, testing and related industries. The country aims to train 50,000 semiconductor engineers by 2030 and will move towards hundreds of thousands of workers in the future.

The government is dedicated to improving the quality of semiconductor training through a range of measures, including investing in 18 key laboratories, partnering with major economies in chip production and financial support for costly equipment and advanced technologies.

Intel relocates key assembly and testing lines to Ho Chi Minh City Global tech giant Intel will relocate part of its Costa Rica assembly and testing operations to Ho Chi Minh City, reinforcing Vietnam’s role in the global supply chain for advanced data centre chips.

AIC to build $2.1bn AI data centre in Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City continues to attract billions of dollars in foreign investment, with a key focus on data centres, semiconductors, and high-tech sectors.

AI and semiconductors drive new wave of Vietnam-South Korea business ties Vietnam and South Korea are entering a new phase of business cooperation, with companies from both sides expanding investment and partnerships in AI, semiconductors and digital infrastructure.

“The project has drawn significant attention and high expectations from the Party and state leaders, ministries, sectors, the public, and international partners. The Prime Minister and relevant Deputy Prime Ministers have been conducting regular and periodic inspections and providing direction for its implementation,” PM Hung said.

Under requirements set by the National Assembly, the project must be completed in 2026 despite ongoing challenges such as material shortages, price fluctuations, payment-related obstacles, and violations arising during implementation.

A view of Long Thanh International Airport

Completing the airport and putting it into commercial operation in 2026 is defined as a critical political task.

“Delays or disruptions must be avoided at all costs, as they would lead to waste of social resources, harm national credibility, and erode public and business confidence,” said PM Hung.

The PM instructed all entities involved to boost their sense of responsibility, maintain strong focus and determination, and urgently address all difficulties.

Immediate implementation of tasks must be carried out to ensure progress, quality and efficiency, with particular attention to several key measures.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) is tasked with urgently approving the consolidation of key leadership at Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) – the project’s developer – in accordance with regulations to enhance effectiveness in implementation.

This must be completed by May 7. As an immediate step, procedures are to be carried out to assign acting roles for the chairman of the Board of Directors and the general director based on the MoF’s proposed personnel plan.

At the same time, the MoF is to direct the task force on resolving payment-related obstacles to support and guide ACV in addressing financial and payment issues linked to the venture.

The Ministry of Construction has been assigned to provide guidance on adjusting material prices in accordance with contracts and to coordinate with localities to ensure adequate supply.

It is also responsible for timely inspections and acceptance of completed works and project components, while maintaining monitoring, synthesis of implementation status, and periodic reporting on difficulties.

The Ministry of Public Security is required to accelerate investigations and handle violations occurring during implementation.

It is also tasked with providing opinions to support ACV in settling payments for completed work.

In addition, the Ministry mus give feedback on ACV’s key personnel as proposed by the MoF, for approval of leadership consolidation before May 7.

The ACV bears full responsibility for the progress and quality of Component Project 3, which covers the essential airside and terminal infrastructure, forming the backbone of Long Thanh International Airport’s commercial functionality.

It must develop detailed daily construction plans, assign specific responsibilities, and submit periodic reports. Contractors are required to mobilise additional manpower and equipment to recover lost time.

Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai have been assigned to prioritise the allocation of construction materials and provide manpower support for the implementation.

PM Hung also assigned Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc to directly oversee ministries, sectors and relevant units in addressing obstacles and expediting implementation.

Solving problems to ensure completion schedule of Long Thanh International Airport Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has asked agencies to resolve any problems preventing the completion of Long Thanh International Airport.

Latest images from Long Thanh International Airport Long Thanh Airport has nearly 14,000 personnel and more than 1,000 pieces of machinery working around the clock, with many components running 3-5 months ahead of schedule to ensure operations can begin by December this year.

Long Thanh International Airport welcomes first Vietnam Airlines test flight Long Thanh International Airport has received its first commercial aircraft from Vietnam Airlines, moving closer to full operational readiness.

At the same time, breakthroughs in interregional infrastructure, accelerating urbanisation, and evolving homebuyer preferences are reshaping the market structure, with a stronger focus on genuine housing demand and long-term sustainability.

Against this backdrop, Vietnam Investment Review is organising a seminar on Vietnam’s real estate market themed “Weathering Headwinds, Embracing a New Cycle” to create a platform for dialogue, analysis, and assessment of current market challenges, while also exploring policy drivers, capital flows, and emerging trends that could pave the way for the next growth cycle of the nation’s real estate market.

Time: 8am on May 12, 2026

Venue: Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon No. 253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Ward, Ho Chi Minh City

Property developers diversify funding sources amid tighter credit Constrained real estate credit growth and higher refinancing needs are expected to drive residential real estate developers to widen funding sources in 2026.

More disciplined growth for real estate and construction After a turbulent early 2020s, Vietnam’s real estate and construction sectors are entering a new growth cycle – one driven by fundamentals rather than speculation. Khushboo Goyal, director and lead for Building, Construction & Real Estate Consulting at KPMG in Vietnam, analyses the trends and challenges shaping these sectors.

The directive comes amid broader government efforts to tighten management of mineral resources, particularly high-value strategic minerals.

Under the new requirements, customs authorities will only process export procedures for rare earth products that fully meet conditions and have legally verified origins in accordance with governmental Decree No.17/2020/ND-CP, and are included in export lists issued periodically by the Ministry of Industry and Trade or otherwise approved by competent authorities in special cases.

Vietnam is expected to issue a national rare earth strategy in 2026

Decree 17 dated February 2020 on amending a number of articles of decrees concerning business investment conditions in sectors under the management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

At the customs declaration stage, enterprises must provide complete and detailed information on mineral names, quality standards, mine origin, and the entities responsible for extraction and processing.

In cases where trading companies are not directly involved in extraction or processing, they must supplement information on domestic purchase contracts and invoices. Details of mining licences, recovery permits, or export authorisations must also be fully declared.

Notably, the Department of Vietnam Customs requires physical inspection of all rare earth export shipments, except for certain specific cases.

Inspections will be conducted based on risk management principles, combined with verification against product categories and quality standards set by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Where sufficient grounds for determination are lacking, customs authorities will take samples for assessment by accredited conformity assessment organisations.

Inspection results will serve as the basis for customs clearance decisions or legal handling. Customs units are also required to strengthen information collection and analysis on rare earth exporters, and promptly place high-risk cases under post-clearance audit.

The Department of Vietnam Customs has instructed all units to strictly implement the directive and publicly post its contents at customs clearance points for enterprises to follow. Any implementation issues must be promptly reported for guidance and resolution.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Vietnam possesses substantial rare earth potential, with reserves ranked among the top two or three globally and distributed across 21 cities and provinces.

The Ministry has largely completed baseline surveys of rare earth-bearing areas, is maintaining strict oversight, and is drafting a national rare earth strategy expected to be issued in early 2026.

Rare earths were for the first time incorporated into the Law on Geology and Minerals, which was passed by the National Assembly in November 2024 and took effect from July 2025.

An amended law, adopted in December 2025, affirms rare earths as specially important strategic minerals, requiring strict control over exploration, extraction and processing, while prohibiting the export of unprocessed rare earth ores.

Experts propose development direction for rare earth industry Vietnam has the world's second-largest reserves of rare earths - an estimated 22 million tonnes - yet the resources have remained untapped, scientists have said.

South Korea's Trident obtains rights to rare earth mines in Vietnam Trident Global Holdings, a prominent South Korea-based conglomerate with interests in mining, real estate, and carbon capture technology, has acquired rights to three significant rare earth element mines in Vietnam.

Vietnam yet to tap rare earth resources Vietnam boasts a large reserve of approximately 30 million tonnes of rare earth, but the country has yet to conduct thorough research about how to exploit and process it effectively.

Vietnam’s total import-export turnover in April was estimated at $94.32 billion, up 0.8 per cent from the previous month and 26.7 per cent on-year, according to a report released on May 3 by the National Statistics Office.

For the January-April period, total trade turnover reached an estimated $344.17 billion, rising 24.2 per cent from the same period last year. Of the figure, exports increased 19.7 per cent while imports surged 28.7 per cent.

Export turnover in April was estimated at $45.52 billion, down 2 per cent on-month. The domestic economic sector contributed $8.88 billion, down 1.2 per cent, while the foreign-invested sector, including crude oil, generated $36.64 billion, down 2.1 per cent.

Compared to April last year, however, exports rose 21 per cent. The domestic sector declined 4.2 per cent, while foreign-invested enterprises posted a sharp increase of 29.2 per cent.

In the first four months, export revenue was estimated at $168.53 billion, of which the domestic sector earned $33.65 billion, up 0.4 per cent, accounting for 20 per cent of total exports. The foreign-invested sector brought in $134.88 billion, up 25.8 per cent, accounting for 80 per cent.

Twenty-four exports posted turnover of more than $1 billion, accounting for 89.1 per cent of total export value. Among them, seven items exceeded $5 billion each, making up 69.1 per cent.

Processed industrial goods remained the largest export category, generating $151.5 billion and accounting for 89.9 per cent of total exports. Agricultural and forestry products reached $12.68 billion, seafood $3.55 billion, and fuels and minerals $800 million.

Meanwhile, imports in April were estimated at $48.8 billion, up 3.6 per cent from March and 32.5 per cent on-year. The domestic sector imported goods worth $13.8 billion, while the foreign-invested sector $35 billion.

During the first four months, import turnover reached $175.64 billion. Of the total, the domestic sector imported $49.27 billion, up 20.4 per cent, while the foreign-invested sector $126.37 billion, up 32.3 per cent.

China remained Vietnam’s largest import market, with turnover estimated at $69 billion. The country’s trade deficit in April alone was estimated at $3.28 billion. In the first four months, the domestic sector posted a deficit of $15.61 billion, while the foreign-invested sector recorded a surplus of $8.5 billion.

Vietnam has become the world's 18^th largest exporting economy, with a turnover of nearly $473 billion in 2025, according to statistics published by Statista in April.

Among the world’s top 30 exporters, 11 Asian economies were named, including Singapore (14^th) and Thailand (25^th), according to data from the World Trade Organization.

AIC to build $2.1bn AI data centre in Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City continues to attract billions of dollars in foreign investment, with a key focus on data centres, semiconductors, and high-tech sectors.

Amkor Technology seeks LPG priority for semiconductor plant The semiconductor packaging and test services provider Amkor Technology urged Vietnam’s northern province of Bac Ninh to prioritise usage of liquefied petroleum gas for a semiconductor factory.

Bac Ninh forum highlights Vietnam's role in shifting global supply chains A forum in Bac Ninh has brought together around 500 delegates to discuss Vietnam's role in global supply chains amid geopolitical shifts and rising sustainability demands.

Vietnam reforms strengthen FDI appeal Vietnam’s evolving reform agenda has strengthened its appeal to foreign investors. Giles Cooper, Partner at Allens in Hanoi, explains how sustaining momentum will hinge on policy clarity and consistent enforcement.

Amid heightened global volatility, especially as 2026 marks the start of implementing the fourteenth National Party Congress Resolution with more ambitious growth targets, monetary policy is under increasing pressure to maintain macroeconomic stability, contain inflation, safeguard system resilience, and effectively steer capital flows across the economy.

On the the sector’s 75^th anniversary, State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) Governor Pham Duc An outlined the direction for monetary policy and banking operations in the new phase, aimed at sustaining macroeconomic stability, keeping inflation in check, and supporting faster yet more sustainable growth, with a focus on quality.

An reaffirmed that the SBV would continue to conduct monetary policy in a proactive and flexible way, in close coordination with fiscal and other macroeconomic policies, while remaining committed to an average inflation target of around 4.5 per cent in 2026. This, he noted, will help underpin macroeconomic stability and foster sustainable economic growth.

State Bank of Vietnam Governor Pham Duc An

On credit, An noted that following years of strong expansion to meet financing needs for economic growth, total outstanding credit has now reached approximately 145 per cent of GDP.

“Based on the banking system’s deposit mobilisation capacity, the SBV will implement policy measures in line with macroeconomic and monetary market developments, while directing credit institutions to ensure safe and effective credit growth, channelled into production and business activities, priority sectors, key growth drivers as directed by the government and the prime minister, as well as feasible and critical projects,” he said.

More specifically, the SBV will continue to deploy monetary policy tools flexibly, particularly open market operations, to provide timely liquidity support to credit institutions.

“Interest rates will be managed in line with market conditions, macroeconomic developments, inflation, and policy objectives, while credit institutions will be required to strictly comply with transparency requirements on lending rates,” An said.

At the same time, he added that the SBV would closely monitor both international and domestic market developments to manage the exchange rate in a flexible manner, consistent with market conditions and in coordination with other monetary policy tools, thereby contributing to macroeconomic stability, inflation control, and economic growth.

“Over 2026–2030, these measures will be implemented in a synchronised way to enhance the efficiency of the banking system, ensure adequate capital supply to the economy, and maintain system safety and soundness,” he said.

Reflecting on the 75-year journey of the banking sector, Nguyen Duc Lenh, deputy director of the SBV’s Regional Branch 2, expressed pride in the evolution from traditional credit provision to supporting sustainable development.

“We take pride in the SBV’s flexible, scientific, and innovative management of credit policy, ensuring capital availability for businesses and households. Over the past 40 years of economic reforms, Vietnam’s growth has borne the clear imprint of monetary and credit policies, with total outstanding credit consistently exceeding the size of the economy,” Lenh said.

“The country’s economic progress, enterprise development, and the transformation of rural areas through new rural development models, green and clean production, OCOP items, and eco- and craft village tourism, as well as the rise of modern urban centres, are all the result of effective resource allocation, including bank credit. Credit programmes have contributed to national prosperity and will continue to be a proud legacy of Vietnam’s banking sector.”

Credit trends set tone for key sectors Credit across the banking system has surged at an unusually high pace this year, with a significant share directed towards real estate and securities, raising concerns over the sustainability of growth.

Gold market embarks on new rebuilding trajectory The State Bank of Vietnam is simultaneously tightening oversight and advancing plans for a national gold exchange, placing banks and businesses to seize opportunities while facing a more transparent and disciplined market.

The vision to maintain a stable monetary policy Against a backdrop of global economic uncertainties, Vietnam has maintained robust growth, effective inflation control, and macroeconomic stability. Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Pham Thanh Ha shared insights with VIR’s Nhue Man on key monetary policy measures and strategic priorities.

As reported by Inside Retail on May 5, Meiyijia operates in Vietnam under a new overseas brand, Ohmee. The initial rollout includes three stores already operating in the capital, Hanoi, marking Meiyijia’s first retail presence outside China.

Ohmee covenience stores will expand in Vietnam through the franchising model, which has facilitated Meiyijia to scale up its network to tens of thousands of outlets in China.

Beside Vietnam, Ohmee convenience stores are also opened in Malaysia as part of Meiyijia's push into the Southeast Asian market.

Founded in 1997 as a retail arm of a state-owned trading company, Meiyijia began its rapid expansion in the mid-2010s. It crossed 20,000 stores in 2020 – and doubled that number in less than five years.

Last July, Meiyijia marked the opening of its 40,000th store. The vast majority of these outlets are concentrated in China’s industrialised southern and eastern provinces.

According to Momentum Works, for more than 20 years after its founding, Meiyijia was a regional player. Then digitisation across store ops, supply chain, and franchise systems unlocked a doubling that few global retailers have matched at this scale.

Now it's testing whether that operating model travels. Vietnam and Malaysia, Meiyijia’s first overseas destinations, differ significantly in retail structure, income levels, and urban form.

Local incumbents also hold deep advantages – from government relationships to the practical realities of securing retail locations.

According to Vietdata, Vietnam's convenience store market is entering a structural recalibration phase characterised by a clear “flight to quality.”

Market leaders are not only preserving their scale advantages but are further widening the gap through operational efficiency optimisation and enhanced customer experience. As a result, market concentration remains elevated, with over 72 per cent of total revenue controlled by the top three players, namely Circle K, GS25, and FamilyMart.

GS25 expands its footprint to Hanoi South Korean convenience store chain GS25 opened six outlets in Hanoi on March 14, marking its debut in the northern market.

Foreign brands keep up their convenience store dominance With rapid growth and continuous expansion, Vietnam’s convenience store market has become a competitive hotspot with the domination of foreign players.

Circle K Vietnam appoints new general director Circle K Vietnam has announced the appointment of TC Cheng as its general director, effective October 30.

Digital technology is identified as the central group, including AI, big data, cloud computing, edge computing, the Internet of Things, and blockchain. This is considered the foundation for national digital transformation and the development of the digital economy.

Photo: Ministry of Science and Technology

In addition, the decision also identifies other strategic technology areas such as next-generation mobile network technology; robotics and automation; advanced biotechnology and biomedical technology; advanced energy and materials technology; semiconductor chip technology; cybersecurity and quantum technology; marine, ocean and subsurface technology; aerospace technology; high-speed rail and urban rail technology.

Along with the list of strategic technologies, the government also issued a list of strategic technology products with many specific product groups, divided into two main groups.

The first group consists of strategic technology products that have already established markets and the potential to directly impact economic development. Prominent products in this group include the Vietnamese language big-screen model, virtual assistants and specialised AI; AI cameras for edge processing; digital mirroring platforms; cloud computing platforms; 5G/5G-advanced mobile network devices and systems; industrial robots; smart manufacturing platforms; cybersecurity solutions for critical infrastructure and national databases.

The list also particularly highlights biotechnology and biomedical products such as next-generation vaccines for humans; cell therapies; personalised medical product manufacturing systems using 3D printing technology; intelligent biosensor systems; and next-generation plant, animal, and aquatic species created using cell technology, gene editing, and biotechnology.

In energy and new materials, the products included in the category comprise advanced batteries and integrated energy storage systems; green hydrogen production, storage, transport and distribution systems; carbon capture, utilisation and storage systems; advanced materials and high-performance functional materials for processing and manufacturing industries.

The second group consists of technology products that create new growth drivers, foundational technologies for the future, and technologies that ensure self-reliance in the fields of security and defence.

This group includes specialised chips; quantum communication, quantum computing, and quantum sensors; technologies for the extraction and deep processing of minerals, oil, gas, and rare earth; technologies for deep-sea and offshore energy exploration; small modular nuclear reactors; satellites and low-orbit satellite constellations for Earth observation; industrial platforms and integrated systems for high-speed rail and urban rail.

According to the decision, the Ministry of Science and Technology will preside over and coordinate with ministries and agencies to periodically review and evaluate the list to submit to the prime minister for updating it to meet the requirements of socioeconomic development.

This decision will take effect from July 1 and replaces Decision No.1131/QD-TTg dated June 2025 on the promulgation of strategic technologies and strategic technology products.

MoST announces 21 key strategic technology development plans The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) announced a list on June 4 of 21 key strategic development plans on sci-tech, innovation, digital transformation to create opportunities for digital technology enterprises to take part in.

Strategic technology networks launched In a defining step towards establishing a high-tech-driven economy, Vietnam has launched three new high-level technology networks, including quantum technology, cybersecurity, and aerospace and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Vietnam-US forum advances strategic technology collaboration A high-level innovation and investment forum in California has strengthened Vietnam's push to become a key node in global technology supply chains.

Vietnam, South Korea cooperate in strategic tech development Vietnam and South Korea will strengthen cooperation in strategic technology fields and carry out six joint research projects.

• Standard Double – A comfortable option for solo travelers or couples
• Standard Twin – Ideal for friends or travel companions
• Friends & Family Triple – Designed for small groups or families
• Friends & Family Quadruple – Suitable for families or group stays

Prime Location in the Heart of Osaka

Guests will enjoy convenient access to Osaka's top attractions, including the iconic Dotonbori, just a 10-minute walk away and known for its vibrant neon lights and street food scene.

Other nearby attractions include:

• Amerikamura — a lively hub for youth culture, street fashion, and cafés
• Midōsuji — a major boulevard known for shopping and seasonal illuminations
• Namba Parks — a popular shopping complex with a rooftop garden
• Honmachi — a central business district with offices and commercial centers
• Yodoyabashi — Osaka's financial hub, home to banks and leading companies

With multiple transport stations within walking distance, guests can also easily access major attractions across the city, including Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan.

Exclusive Pre-Order Sale

To celebrate the upcoming opening, Travelodge Hotels Asia is launching a limited-time Pre-Order Sale, offering 50% off stays at Travelodge Osaka Shinsaibashi.

The promotion is available exclusively for bookings made through www.travelodgehotels.asia, allowing guests to secure exceptional value for upcoming trips—whether for summer holidays, autumn foliage season, winter festivities, or spring travel next year.

Strengthening Travelodge's Presence in Japan

The opening marks another milestone for Travelodge Hotels Asia as it continues to expand across key destinations in Asia. With its prime location, large room inventory, and accessible pricing, the hotel is expected to become a preferred choice for travelers seeking accommodation near Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori, and Namba.

More details about the hotel and its opening promotions will be announced closer to the launch.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

A seven-time Grammy nominee, Anoushka Shankar is widely recognized as "a visionary artist who redefines the boundaries of the sitar for the 21st century." Inspired by her father, the legendary Ravi Shankar, her compositions blend the intricacies of Indian classical music with western orchestral traditions. In addition to her acclaimed solo albums and collaborative projects, Anoushka Shankar has composed extensively for film, dance and orchestral ensembles, forging a path that bridges tradition and innovation.

Tickets for Anoushka Shankar - Chapters are available from all URBTIX outlets and are priced at $600, $480, $350 and $220 with 50% off for full-time students, senior citizens, Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients, people with disabilities and their accompanying minder. For ticketing enquiries and customer service call 3166 1100; for telephone bookings call 3166 1288; for internet bookings visit www.urbtix.hk; for programme enquiries call 2864 2156 or email info@ccohk.com.

Anoushka Shankar sitar/composer
Grammy-nominated musician and composer, Anoushka Shankar is a masterful sitarist and a prolific recording artist with a ground-breaking international career. She had trod new paths in a wide range of musical genres including world, classical, electronic and jazz music. At the age of eighteen she was the youngest and first female recipient of a British House of Commons Shield, the first Indian woman to receive eleven nominations, perform and serve as a presenter at the Grammy® Awards and the first Indian woman to receive an Ivor Novello Awards nomination for film composition for her soundtrack to A Suitable Boy. She is also an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music, one of the first five female composers to be featured in the UK's A-level music syllabus and the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Music from the University of Oxford. From the age of nine, she studied the sitar and Indian classical music with her father, Pandit Ravi Shankar, learning by ear not only ancient musical traditions passed on through generations but also the spirit of improvisation for which her father was so renowned. Her love for musical connections across borders has led to numerous collaborations with a diverse range of international artists including Herbie Hancock, her half-sister Norah Jones, Patti Smith, Sting, Jacob Collier, Joshua Bell, Arooj Aftab, Nils Frahm, M.I.A, Rodrigo y Gabriela and His Holiness The Dalai Lama. She has also appeared as a soloist with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Metropole Orkest, London Contemporary Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta. Her touring career has taken her to venerable concert halls, legendary jazz cafes and major festival stages to audiences of 40,000 people. Anoushka Shankar is currently the creative director of the Brighton Festival. In 2025 she marked her 30 years of stage performances with the release of We return to Light, the third chapter of her trilogy of mini albums. In the same year she performed at the BBC Proms with the London Contemporary Orchestra.

Robert Ames guest conductor
Robert Ames is a conductor, composer, curator and the co-founder of the London Contemporary Orchestra. Over the past 15 years, he has pioneered a genre-fluid approach to collaboration, blurring the lines between electronic production and the classical tradition in a diverse and exciting career. His musical collaborations include Radiohead, Little Simz and The National, Taylor Swift, Frank Ocean, Self Esteem, Anoushka Shankar, Philip Glass, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Mica Levi, Jonny Greenwood and Steve Reich. He has recorded two solo albums and has had extensive soundtrack experience from indie films to mainstream Oscar winners. Robert Ames' guest conducting engagements include the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, the Metropole Orkest, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, among others. He has made appearances at the BBC Proms, the Royal Festival Hall, the Barbican Centre, The Concertgebouw and the Sydney Opera House.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

According to Bank Negara Malaysia's ("BNM") Annual Report 2025, Islamic financing continues to show strong growth, accounting for approximately 48% of Malaysia's total financing or equivalent to RM1.219 trillion, reflecting increasing demand for Shariah-compliant offerings.

Through this partnership, IBPO aims to further strengthen its Shariah Governance framework and ensure that its financial products and programs are structured in accordance with recognised Shariah Principles. This reflects IBPO's continued focus on transparency, responsibility and inclusivity across its financial services offerings while supporting BNM's efforts to promote a progressive and inclusive Islamic Financial system.

The MOU signing ceremony was officiated by Andy Lim, Founder and Group Managing Director of IBPO Group Berhad and M. Aminuddin Bin Ismail, Managing Director of Afsha Shariah Advisory Sdn. Bhd.

In conjunction with this appointment IBPO is also introducing its latest financing program, i-Personal Financing. With Afsha's appointment as official Shariah Advisor, IBPO's Islamic financing programs including i-Personal Financing, i-Bridge Financing and Payday Financing will be supported by Afsha in ensuring consistent Shariah Compliance.

i-Personal Financing is designed to give customers easy access to cash based on their income levels. It offers responsible and affordable financing amounts along with flexible payment options of 3, 6, 9 or 12 months, aligned with monthly salary cycles for greater convenience and peace of mind.

All financing solutions are accessible via IBPO's Online Customer Financial AI Portal which provides a 360-degree view of customers' financial commitments including those with other financial institutions while offering AI-driven insights to help users better manage and optimise their finances. This initiative is part of IBPO's ongoing efforts to leverage AI-driven capabilities to build an integrated financial ecosystem across the Group and its subsidiaries including IBPO Genesis Sdn. Bhd., IBPO Credit System Sdn. Bhd., IBPO Capital Ventures Sdn. Bhd. and IBPO Property Sdn. Bhd.

"We are proud to have Afsha as our official Shariah Advisor as we strengthen our position as Malaysia's trusted choice for Islamic financing. This further reinforces our ongoing commitment to delivering inclusive, ethical and comprehensive Islamic Financial ecosystem that contributes positively to the economy and broader society. This allows us to deliver value to those seeking Shariah-aligned options, while remaining accessible to all, giving our customers greater confidence in what we provide," said Andy Lim, Founder & Group Managing Director of IBPO Group Berhad.

"We are honoured to partner with IBPO Group Berhad as their official Shariah Advisor. At the core of actively disseminating Shariah principles across the financial sector, our mission is to enable our clients to achieve their optimum potential by ensuring that their policies and practices strictly comply with Shariah rules and regulations through the highest standards of professional competence. We look forward to guiding IBPO in structuring ethical and transparent Shariah-compliant financing solutions that meet the growing demand in Malaysia's Islamic financial ecosystem," said M. Aminuddin Bin Ismail, Managing Director of Afsha Shariah Advisory Sdn. Bhd.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

To learn more, visit www.ibpo.com.my

Backed by an investment of multi-million THB , this initiative marks a significant shift in how beverage quality is assured. While most industry players rely on post-production testing, IF has taken a proactive approach by implementing EA-IRMS at the raw material receiving stage, enabling the detection of added sugar or water before production even begins.

Verifying Purity at the Point of Origin

Widely recognised as a global gold standard in food authenticity testing, EA-IRMS technology functions as a molecular "truth detector," analysing isotopic composition to verify whether a product is truly natural or has been altered.

By integrating this technology at the earliest stage of production, IF strengthens its end-to-end quality control system, ensuring that only authentic, unaltered ingredients proceed into manufacturing. This pre-emptive approach moves beyond conventional quality checks, delivering assurance that is not only promised, but scientifically validated from the source.

What You Drink, Proven by Science

At the heart of this initiative is IF brand's commitment to what it calls "molecular integrity" - ensuring that what goes into every bottle is exactly what nature intended, with nothing added or altered.

In an industry where concerns around hidden sugars and product tampering continue to surface, EA-IRMS technology acts as a powerful verification tool, allowing IF to confirm the authenticity of its ingredients from the very start. By investing in advanced food technology, IF brand reinforces its belief that what consumers drink should stay true to its natural source, delivering transparency they can trust and quality they can taste.

"We believe that trust is built on visible transparency," said the IF brand announcement . "At IF, we are committed to the highest quality standards. The implementation of EA-IRMS is not only a response to market concerns, but also a step toward establishing a new benchmark for the coconut water industry where authenticity is no longer just a claim, but a fact supported by data."

With the adoption of EA-IRMS technology, IF brand reinforces its quality assurance framework and supports ongoing efforts to elevate industry standards in Asia. By moving beyond reactive testing to proactive verification, the company is redefining how product integrity can be safeguarded through science, innovation, and transparency. Through this initiative, IF brand continues to lead with purpose, demonstrating that true quality is not just claimed, but proven.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Website: https://www.iffamily.com/

1. European Commission European Education Area A European approach to micro credentials - https://education.ec.europa.eu/education-levels/higher-education/micro-credentials
2. UNESCO Towards a common definition of micro credentials - https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381668
3. OECD Micro credentials for lifelong learning and employability - https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/micro-credentials-for-lifelong-learning-and-employability_9c4b7b68-en.html
4. Skillsfuture Singapore - https://www.skillsfuture.gov.sg/
5. Singapore Institute of Management – https://www.sim.edu.sg

https://www.sim.edu.sg/

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

• Ecosystem Integration: Harmonising domestic and international supply chains to ensure seamless operational synergy.
• Enterprise Capability: Empowering local businesses to scale their technical expertise and compete on a global stage.
• Talent Advancement: Cultivating a high-skilled workforce as the essential bedrock of Malaysia's long-term economic resilience and competitive edge.

SEMICON Southeast Asia 2026 runs from 5–7 May 2026 at MITEC, Kuala Lumpur, with participation from companies and organisations across Asia, the United States and Europe.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and www.semi.org

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

This also represents a 2.4% dividend yield using the December 31, 2025 share price. Total dividends increased to PHP20.7 billion from PHP16.0 billion in 2025.

This marks the fifth consecutive year SM increased dividends and comes on top of a 44% increase in dividend per share last year.

Over the past five years, parent-level dividends increased from PHP5 billion in 2021 to PHP16 billion in 2025. This translates to a compounded annual growth rate of over 32%.

Since listing in 2005, SM has returned PHP148.9 billion in dividends to shareholders as of end-2025.

"We intend to provide greater returns to shareholders. Our businesses provide us with strong, diverse and reliable cashflows that enable us to do so while also growing our businesses and maintaining a strong balance sheet," said Frederic C. DyBuncio, President and Chief Executive Officer of SM Investments.

Shareholders on record as of May 14, 2026 will receive dividend payments on May 28, 2026.

At the parent level, SM's scale, recurring income, and exposure to the Philippines' consumer-driven economy enable it to generate cash across cycles and allocate capital toward long-term value creation.

"Our approach remains consistent: reinvest in high-quality businesses and consistently return capital to shareholders," DyBuncio added.

SM generates cash from market-leading businesses, with 90% of earnings derived from recurring sources across retail, banking, and property.

This recurring income base supports both capital returns and reinvestment, while portfolio investments provide additional growth avenues. A strong balance sheet, characterized by conservative leverage, enables SM to operate with resilience across economic cycles and maintain flexibility in capital allocation.

For more information, please visit www.sminvestments.com

Positioned at the intersection of performance, scalability, and intelligent energy management, OCEAN 2 marks a significant evolution for residential energy systems in Australia. Designed to meet the needs of a rapidly electrifying housing market, the system supports everything from everyday households to high-demand homes integrating solar, electric vehicles, and advanced electrification technologies.

As Australia continues to face rising energy costs and increasing pressure on grid infrastructure, demand is growing for solutions that give households greater control over how energy is generated, stored, and used. OCEAN 2 has been developed in response to this shift, delivering a system that adapts over time as energy needs evolve.

EcoFlow OCEAN 2 Plus Single-Phase has long-term flexibility at its core. Systems can start small and expand as required, supporting up to 300 kWh of storage capacity when configured in parallel. This enables households to scale their energy independence without replacing existing infrastructure. With a 10,000-cycle battery lifespan, OCEAN 2 is engineered for durability and sustained performance over many years.

Performance has been optimised for real-world Australian conditions. With three independent MPPTs, the system can maximise solar generation across rooftops with multiple orientations or partial shading, ensuring consistent energy capture throughout the day. High input capacity per string allows installers to design higher-yield systems with greater efficiency and flexibility.

Efficiency extends beyond generation. OCEAN 2 operates at just 50W during light-load discharge, reducing baseline energy consumption and contributing to meaningful long-term savings. Over a 15-year period, this equates to estimated lifetime energy savings of up to 6,000 kWh.

Installation has been streamlined to support Australia's fast-growing installer network. With a compact design, integrated components, and reduced on-site complexity, OCEAN 2 is built to save time across installation and commissioning. Each battery pack weighs 46kg and supports both indoor and outdoor installation, providing flexibility across a wide range of property types.

Crucially for the Australian market, OCEAN 2 has been developed to align with Clean Energy Council requirements, supporting compliance pathways and enabling installation by accredited professionals. This ensures the system integrates seamlessly into established installer workflows while meeting the standards required for grid connection and incentive eligibility.

Whole-home backup capability is included as standard, enabling seamless switching to maintain power continuity across essential loads.

EcoFlow also offers an optional Single-Phase gateway to enable AC-coupling existing solar system and flexible battery location choosing, with a smart port handling either a smart load or generator input.

This is supported by a multi-layered safety architecture, combining active and passive protection mechanisms across the battery system, alongside a 15-year warranty designed for long-term reliability.

At a system level, OCEAN 2 integrates into EcoFlow's wider Home Energy Ecosystem, connecting solar generation, storage, and smart home technologies into a single intelligent platform. Through its Home Energy Management System, the system can automatically optimise energy usage based on demand and time-of-use tariffs, helping households maximise self-consumption and reduce reliance on the grid.

Craig Bilboe, Head of Residential UK & ANZ for EcoFlow, said:

"Australian homes are already leading the way in solar adoption, but the next step is how that energy is stored and used more intelligently. OCEAN 2 Plus Single-Phase has been designed to support that shift. It gives installers a system that fits into existing accreditation frameworks, while giving households the flexibility to expand and optimise their energy use over time."

Visitors to the EcoFlow stand at Smart Energy Conference and Exhibition will be able to experience live demonstrations of OCEAN 2 Plus Single-Phase, explore upcoming product developments including the also new OCEAN 2 Three-Phase, and speak directly with EcoFlow's technical and commercial teams.

To register or learn more, visit: https://energy.ecoflow.com/au/smart-energy-sydney-2026?utm_source=pr&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=new_product_release_20260422

This milestone strengthens ADX's global connectivity and supports growing international institutional demand for exposure to UAE markets. It also reinforces its position as one of the world's fastest-growing exchanges by market capitalization, while highlighting the market's continued progress in depth, liquidity, and inclusion in major global indices.

Remote membership enables Morgan Stanley to provide its clients with direct market access to the ADX, with trading conducted via the firm's global trading platform. The ADX continues to play a pivotal role in advancing Abu Dhabi's long-term economic ambitions, as a mechanism for a diversified, innovation-led, knowledge-based economy.

Morgan Stanley's direct trading access to ADX reflects the strength of Abu Dhabi's investment proposition and the continued institutionalization of UAE capital markets. Morgan Stanley's membership will enhance execution quality, optimize order routing, and provide greater control across the end-to-end trade lifecycle, delivering an advanced trading experience for global investors.

The structure follows a proven international access model used by Morgan Stanley and is designed to meet growing client demand for efficient, transparent, and seamless access to ADX-listed opportunities.

Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Group, said: "This marks a significant step in advancing our ambition to be a leading financial marketplace that drives opportunity and sustainable economic growth. This momentum is reflected in the strong foreign investor participation, with trading value exceeding 85 billion dirhams in the first quarter of 2026 up by 22% year on year. This performance underscores the growing depth and global relevance of our market, while reinforcing our commitment to expanding international access, strengthening cross-border connectivity, and building a world-class market infrastructure that attracts global capital, supports a diverse range of issuers and contributes to Abu Dhabi's long-term economic prosperity."

Patrick Delivanis, Regional Co-Head of MENA at Morgan Stanley, said: "Becoming a Remote Trading Member of ADX reflects our focus on providing clients with efficient, seamless access to Abu Dhabi's capital markets through our market–leading trading platform. We see continued momentum in the institutionalization and international participation of UAE markets, and we're pleased to support that evolution by enabling international investors to access opportunities in MENA with direct connectivity to local markets, alongside greater transparency and control across the trading lifecycle."

Morgan Stanley's participation aligns with ADX's strategy to strengthen international connectivity, with remote memberships selectively offered to global firms to attract high-quality cross-border liquidity. The announcement builds on the ADX's expansion momentum: in 2025, foreign investment rose by nearly 14% and institutional trading increased by 10% year on year. Subject to final operational readiness, Morgan Stanley expects to begin trading as a remote member in the coming weeks.

Guidepoint MCP is powered by its proprietary library of expert insights which is built by Guidepoint's team of 300+ content specialists and 100% compliance reviewed to institutional standards. The continuously expanding dataset supports both deep company-level diligence and broad thematic research across industries and geographies. With 5,000+ new transcripts added every month, it represents a uniquely powerful foundation for AI-enabled research that only gets stronger over time.

"Our clients depend on Guidepoint for expert insights they can trust," said Albert Sebag, Founder & CEO of Guidepoint. "Guidepoint MCP lets them combine our rigorously sourced expert library with Claude's advanced reasoning and agentic capabilities. The result is a research workflow that is faster, more comprehensive, and more powerful than anything available before."

What that means in practice cuts across client segments. A healthcare investor preparing for an earnings call can surface expert physician perspectives on a drug class in minutes, with every source cited and auditable. A private equity analyst conducting diligence on a company with limited public information can draw on Guidepoint's proprietary interviews to build conviction faster than any traditional research process allows. A consulting team scoping a new market can canvass operators, former executives, and channel partners across geographies in a single search, surfacing on-the-ground realities that traditional desk research alone misses.

Key benefits of Guidepoint MCP include:

• Seamless AI incorporation. Enabling new research workflows that combine proprietary expert knowledge with the full power of AI.
• Full source attribution. Every answer traces back to the source transcript in Guidepoint360, with a complete audit trail.
• Compliance by design. All content is compliance-reviewed and configurable to client-specific controls, including off-limits lists and topic restrictions.
• Compounding dataset. A foundation that only gets stronger over time with 100,000+ transcripts available now and 5,000+ added every month.

Today's launch on Claude marks only the beginning of Guidepoint's availability on other platforms. Additional connections are planned in partnership with other leading platforms to ensure clients have access to trusted expert insights across their research process.

Guidepoint MCP is available now on Claude. For more information or to request access, email sales@guidepoint.com.

The combination of ready-to-use agents, built for and by lawyers and tested against evaluation benchmarks for accuracy and relevance, and robust customization options within Agent Builder means that Harvey can support any legal organization's agentic needs. Whether legal teams are seeking convenience with out-of-the-box use cases or greater flexibility with developing their own text-based agents, they can use Harvey's platform to streamline existing processes and promote more sophisticated agent adoption.

"The legal industry is now well past AI as an assistant and officially in the era of legal agents," said Winston Weinberg, CEO of Harvey. "We wanted every organization globally to be able to chart its own path with agents in Harvey, so we have a deep bench of off-the-shelf agents to choose from and an intuitive agent builder that makes the process of building highly sophisticated agents seamless for law firms and in-house teams alike."

"Harvey agents enable us to complete larger and more complex use cases that AI tools couldn't handle previously," said Simon Newcomb, Partner and Head of AI, Clayton Utz. "They're a genuinely different kind of tool – more like digital colleagues who can perform delegated work. Our lawyers can collaborate with agents applying human creativity in designing solutions, making judgment calls, verifying and accepting accountability for output and using their ability to build trusted client relationships."

"Our agents aren't designed by prompt engineers. They're designed by lawyers who've done the work these agents handle," said Anique Drumright, Chief Product Officer at Harvey. "Now every legal team can do the same: take what makes their practice distinctive and turn it into agents that scale."

Legal teams have created more than 25,000 custom agents on Harvey. New agents are added regularly as lawyers and customers identify emerging use cases. All agents run on Harvey's secure platform, which is trusted by more than 100,000 lawyers across 1,500 organizations.

500 agents and Agent Builder are in early access today, May 5th and will be available to Harvey customers on an ongoing basis over the upcoming months. To learn more visit www.harvey.ai/agents.