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Purchasing power increased robustly in January 2026, according to statistics from the General Statistics Office (Ministry of Finance). Total retail sales of goods and revenue from consumer services at current prices were estimated at 632.4 trillion VND, maintaining a positive growth trend.
The figure rose 2.6% from the previous month and 9.3% compared with January 2025. The 9.3% year-on-year increase matches the growth rate in the same period last year. Excluding price effects, real growth was 6.3%. The General Statistics Office noted that January 2026 did not coincide with the Lunar New Year, while the same period last year was the peak consumption month.
Retail sales of goods in January 2026 were estimated at 487.4 trillion VND, accounting for the largest share and rising 9.3% year on year.
Growth was supported by multiple categories, including:
Several localities recorded strong retail growth, including Can Tho and Quang Ninh (both up 10.7%), Hai Phong (up 10.5%), and Hue (up 10.1%).
With higher international arrivals to Vietnam and stable domestic tourism demand, the services sector saw a busy month. Revenue from lodging and food services was estimated at 75.4 trillion VND, up 9.4% year on year.
Lam Dong led with a 21.3% increase, followed by Quang Ninh (19.8%) and Thanh Hoa (19.6%).
Travel and tourism was the fastest-growing segment, reaching 7.5 trillion VND, up 14.0% from a year earlier. Quang Ninh continued to lead with a 25.2% increase, while Da Nang rose 18.3% and Ho Chi Minh City increased 17.9%.
Revenue from other services was estimated at 62.1 trillion VND, up 8.9% year on year, with Ho Chi Minh City recording an 11.4% rise.
The General Statistics Office said the favorable start in January 2026 is laying a solid foundation for the growth target of the trade and services sector for the year.
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