Gov't convenes monthly meeting

The Cabinet members will also discuss specific mechanisms and policies .

According to theGeneral Statistics Office, Viet Nam's trade revenue wasestimated at US$125.41 billion in the first four months of 2017, a year-on-year increase of 20.1%.

Of the figure, the export value reached US$61.3 billion, a year-on-year increase of 15% while the import turnover rose 24.9% to US$64.1 billion, which means trade deficit is equal to 4.5% of the total export turnover.

FDI attraction up 40.5%

As of April 20, the country granted investment certificates to 734 new projects with a total registered capital of US$4.88 billion, equal to 96% of the same period last year, according to the Foreign Investment Agency, under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Besides, 345 other projects increased US$4.36 billion in investment capital, a year-on-year increase of 241.8%.

In addition, foreign investors also committed to pour US$1.35 billion in capital contribution toand shares purchase from local firms,up 106.8%, sending the total investment capital pledged in the first four months to US$10.95 billion, up 40.5%.

As of April 20, US$4.8 billion in FDI were disbursed, up 3.2%, reported the agency.

Nearly 4.3 million int'l guests visit VN

About 4.28 million foreign tourists visited Viet Nam in the first four months, representing a year-on-year surge of 30.3%.

Of the figure, about 3.5 million foreigners travelled by air (up 32.6% against the same period last year); 610,000 others came by road (up 11.1%); and the rest arrived by sea (up 77.6%).

The total revenue of accommodation and restaurant sales increased by 11.3% to VND 153.4 trillion, topped byQuangNinh, DongNai, Ho Chi Minh City, HaNoi, andBinhDuong.

Over 39,500 enterprises set up

In the first four months of this year, 39,580 enterprises were established with combined capital of VND369.6 trillion (US$16.25 billion), up 14% and 48.9% year on year, respectively.

Together with VND455.7 trillion (US$20.04 billion) added into already established firms, VND825.3 trillion (US$36.2 billion) was pumped to the economy in the first four months of 2017.

At the same time, 11,545 businesses resumed operations, an increase of 1.9% year-on-year.

CPI unchanged in April

The consumer price index (CPI) in April remained unchanged from the previous month, but up 4.3% against the same period last year,official statistics showed.

The average monthly index in the Jan-April period rose 4.8% compared to the same period last year.

Retailsales, services revenue up 6.7%

The country's total retail sales and services revenuepickedup 6.7% toVND1,267.9trillion (US$56.7 billion) in the first four months of this year compared to 7.8%of the same period last year.

Revenue of accommodation and catering services in the reviewed period surged 11.3%to VND153.4 trillion.

The national industrial production increased 5.1% onaveragein the first four months of 2017 compared to 7.9% of the same period last year.

Agricultural-aquatic-forestry exports up 9.1%

The exports of agricultural-aquatic-forestry products in April was estimated at US$2.9 billion, bringing the total export value in four months to US$10.8 billion, a year-on-year increase of 9.1%.

Viet Nam gained US$5.8 billion, US$2.1 billion and US$2.5 billion from exporting agricultural, aquatic and forestry products, witnessing respective increases of 12%, 8.2% and 12.1% against the same period last year.

(Source: VGP)