Vietnam's GDP grows 9.95% in Q3 as goods trade rises

04 Oct '26 2 min read Pic: Generated by ChatGPT Insights Vietnam's GDP grew 9.95 per cent in Q3 and 9.01 per cent in January-September, with industry and construction expanding 11.21 per cent. Goods trade reached $888.02 billion, exports rose 24.5 per cent and imports 36.7 per cent, creating a $19.42 billion deficit. For sourcing teams, industrial output, retail sales and investment data indicate the operating backdrop for Vietnam-linked supply Vietnam posted 9.95 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the third quarter (Q3) of 2026 and 9.01 per cent growth in January-September, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO). Total import and export turnover of goods in the first nine months reached $888.02 billion, up 30.4 per cent year on year (YoY). Exports were $434.30 billion, up 24.5 per cent, while imports were $453.72 billion, up 36.7 per cent, leaving a $19.42 billion trade deficit. Q3 GDP growth was above the 8.15 per cent recorded in the first quarter and 8.81 per cent in Q2. Industry and construction expanded 11.21 per cent and contributed 49.62 per cent, while services grew 8.96 per cent and contributed 45.03 per cent. The office estimated the Industrial Production Index (IIP) rose 14.8 per cent YoY in Q3 and 12.3 per cent for the first nine months. More than 223,900 enterprises nationwide either registered for new establishment or resumed operations during January-September, down 3.2 per cent from a year earlier, with an average of 24,900 enterprises entering the market each month; 172,000 enterprises withdrew from the market, down 1.7 per cent YoY. Total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue at current prices increased 13.4 per cent YoY in the first nine months to VND 5,925.7 trillion (~$228.3 billion). As of September 30, 2026, total registered foreign investment in Vietnam reached $50.36 billion, up 76.4 per cent year on year, according to the office. The figure included newly registered capital, adjusted registered capital, and capital contributions and share purchases by foreign investors. Realised foreign direct investment (FDI) was estimated at $21.07 billion, up 12.1 per cent and the highest amount over the past five years. Vietnamese investors committed $1.28 billion to 121 overseas projects in January-September, up 80.9 per cent, the office said. Another 32 existing overseas projects increased capital by a total of $1.49 billion, 10.8 times the level in the same period last year. The US remained Vietnam’s largest export market at $140 billion, while China continued to be the country’s largest import source at $187.34 billion. The office also reported 1.77 million foreign visitors in September, down 11.3 per cent from the previous month but up 16.1 per cent YoY. For January-September, foreign arrivals totalled 17.7 million, up 14.5 per cent. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)