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Europe: a forecast surplus of around $50 billion
Vietnam's trade with the European Union is accelerating. According to Stockbiz, citing the Ministry of Industry and Trade and customs data, trade with the EU reached $24.11 billion in the third quarter of 2026, up 10.1% from the second quarter and 27.1% from a year earlier. For the first nine months, two-way trade reached $65.5 billion, up nearly 20% year on year, with exports up 21.8% and imports up 13.9%. For the full year, the ministry forecasts exports to the EU of around $67–70 billion, up 19.3–24.7% from 2025, and imports of $19–20 billion, taking two-way trade to $86–90 billion and leaving a trade surplus of around $50 billion. At the Vietnam–EU forum in Hanoi on 4 November, Noel Clehane, vice chairman of the EU–ASEAN Business Council, said Vietnam had many advantages in exports, with the EU–Vietnam free trade agreement as an important foundation.
Lao Cai: cinnamon goes deeper into processing
In Lao Cai province, Vietnam Cinnamon and Star Anise Production and Export Joint Stock Company (VINASAMEX) inaugurated its Bao Thang organic cinnamon production and processing plant on 4 November, in Phong Nien hamlet, Xuan Quang commune, according to Stockbiz, reporting Vietnam News Agency. The plant has registered capital of VND 411.6 billion, covers 9.86 hectares, and has an operating term of 50 years. It is intended as the company's deep-processing centre, diversifying products made from cinnamon, star anise and natural ingredients, with a processing system covering raw material treatment, essential oil distillation, extraction, separation, fractionation and standardisation of active ingredients.
Fintech: Shinhan Vietnam Finance picks FinOne Neo 9.0
Nucleus Software announced on 4 November that Shinhan Vietnam Finance has selected its FinOne Neo 9.0 platform to modernise its consumer finance operations and support growth in Vietnam. Shinhan Finance will implement the platform's customer acquisition, loan management and collections modules across its lending operations, covering personal finance, vehicle finance, consumer loans, credit cards and bundled offers such as Omni Loan. The company says the platform will enable straight-through processing for eligible lending journeys, faster product launches and more self-service channels, with Shinhan DS Vietnam as the system integration partner. Nucleus says Vietnam is its largest market in Southeast Asia, dating back to 2012, and it incorporated a wholly owned local company in February 2026 with an office in Hanoi.
Analysis
Read together, the three stories point in the same direction: Vietnam is moving up the value chain rather than simply shipping more volume. The EU forecast is not only about a larger surplus; it rests on manufactured and processed exports growing faster than imports, with a trade agreement providing the framework. The Lao Cai plant applies the same logic to agriculture: instead of selling raw cinnamon, the aim is standardised extracts and essential oils, which can command steadier prices and reach more demanding buyers. And the Shinhan deal shows the financial plumbing catching up — consumer lending run on a unified digital platform, with local delivery capacity built in Hanoi. None of these is a single-day event that changes the economy overnight; each is a step in a longer shift from raw output and manual process towards processed products and digital services.
Conclusion
For viewers, the practical takeaway is to watch the follow-through: whether the EU export forecast holds through the final quarter, whether the Bao Thang plant's deep-processing lines win export orders, and whether Shinhan's new platform shortens loan journeys for ordinary borrowers. VietNet News will keep tracking those next steps, hourly.